It’s not easy for a toothbrush to impress me. It’s not that I haven’t used great brushes, but a toothbrush is often just a toothbrush and I’ve tested a lot, ranging in price from a few dollars to several hundred. Besides a few basic differences, there are typically only so many innovative ways to go about creating a tool to brush your teeth. At least, that’s what I thought until I tried SuperMouth’s Ultim8 electric toothbrush. My teeth, and my mind, have changed.

_{Prices are accurate as of March 7, 2025. Subject to change.}

SuperMouth ULTIM8 SmartBrush

Despite being obsessed with Timmy the Tooth as a kid, I have a complicated relationship with brushing my teeth. My teeth and gums are sensitive, made worse by my own bad habit of brushing too intensely. And don’t even get me started on toothpaste — I’m one of the unlucky ones who get skin irritation and cracked lips from sodium lauryl sulfate, an ingredient used in many of the major toothpastes (thankfully, Sensodyne has options without it). All this makes brushing my teeth my most annoying personal hygiene task. But alas, it must be done and twice a day no less! I thought I was in for a life of unpleasantry, but the Ultim8 has worked its way into my routine, making the once annoying chore something I almost look forward to.

Because my natural inclination is to scrub, it’s best for me to avoid brushes with firm bristles, lest I end up with more gum recession. However, some soft bristles collapse against my teeth and I feel like I need to press twice as hard as usual to get any real cleaning done. It’s often a lose-lose, Goldilocks situation. This is where the Ultim8 shines. The bristles are very soft, but dense — there are three times as many bristles as a typical brush, SuperMouth says. They don’t scrape and scratch, nor do they give under pressure. They simply clean my teeth and gums without irritating them.

In addition to perfecting the feel, SuperMouth put extra work into the design of the bristles. The brand scanned thousands of teeth (with and without braces), assuring that its bristles match the natural contours of teeth. This allows them to get into and clean crevices like soft, plaque-fighting clouds. According to the company, the patented bristles clean up to 40 times better than a manual brush. I can’t tell you for sure if my teeth are 40 times cleaner, but I certainly enjoy the act of brushing my teeth 40 times more.

I no longer feel the need to scrub, but just in case I do, a pressure sensor light turns red to alert me. The Ultim8 has two cleaning modes, super and sensitive, which is more than enough. Some brushes go overboard with five or six that barely feel different. Quadrant timers alert you every 30 seconds to move on to the next section by quickly pausing the vibration. At the end of two minutes, the brush automatically turns off. Timers are pretty standard among electric toothbrushes but still greatly appreciated. If you’ve never used one, it can be alarming to see how long you think two minutes is versus what it actually is.

At $100, the brush is pricier than some other solid electric toothbrushes, but for my particular tooth dilemma, it’s money well spent. Though I haven’t tried them, SuperMouth also has manual brushes with the same, densely packed bristles. For $10, it might be worth it to try the bristles and decide if the more powerful electric brush is for you.

ULTIM8 SmartBrush System With Sanitizing SmartHub

For an additional $70, you can also include the SmartHub. It acts as a home for your brush between cleans, keeping it charged and covered so bristles aren’t exposed to dirt and dust. An integrated dryer keeps it from staying damp while inside and it also uses a UV sanitizer to kill germs. The lid doubles as a cup for rinsing your mouth out. At first glance, I thought it was an overkill accessory, but it ended up feeling like a nice little extra to make a bland task somewhat luxurious.

I’ve been testing the Ultim8 toothbrush for a few weeks and I can safely say I’m never going back to my old manual. My teeth and gums are cleaner and happier.

Featured Image Credit: Image Courtesy of SuperMouth