Sonic toothbrush in shared use? Based on personal experience, not a good idea

Naturally, each of us had our own brush head, which meant removing and reattaching a head every time either one of us brushed. After about 18 months, the first unit failed: more or less overnight, the metal post that holds the brush head became loose, the toothbrush suddenly got at least twice as loud, and proper brushing was no longer possible.

We chalked it up to bad luck. Fortunately, the device was still under warranty, so we sent it in. Instead of a repair, we received what was essentially a new unit, which was great. But about twelve months later, the same thing happened again—the brush-head mount had loosened, and the entire mechanism vibrated far more than it should. We assumed it must be a flaw in this Philips model, without giving the situation much deeper thought.

A more realistic explanation, however, is simply that electric toothbrushes are not designed for twice-daily brush-head swapping. Manufacturers assume that each person has their own device. The constant pulling and pushing required to change the brush head puts a surprising amount of mechanical stress on the internal components. Over time, that strain is likely enough to damage the connections and wear down the toothbrush from the inside out.

So we’ve learned our lesson—and haven’t bought a new one since. But when we finally get around to replacing it, we’ll each be getting our own model. In the long run, that might even turn out to be the more cost-effective option.