This has to be one of the most detailed reviews I have ever found.  It should be noted that 30 Second Smile is the new name of HydraBrush. The product is unchanged other than the branding. That being said this review is of the HydraBrush which is now called 30 Second Smile.

For more information or to buy the 30 Second Smile toothbrush visit the official website here.

30 Second Smile Review

I have been following a rigorous oral-health regime since being given a significantly less than ideal dental checkup 4 months ago. I have been growing very tired of how long this routine takes. The longest portion is brushing with my oral-b. The oral-b is a great brush – and using it properly (massaging each tooth separately, front, back and occlusal) removes plaque really well. BUT using it properly takes forever. Recently I’ve resorted to switching it on and just running it back and forth over my teeth like a regular old toothbrush because I don’t have the time or patience to use as directed.

I am engineer at heart. So, I started fantasizing about a machine that you could bite into that would brush each tooth in the mouth on all surfaces at the same time. Then I went looking for it online. I did not find such a machine. The only brush that came close to my fantasy was this hydrabrush. It doesn’t do all your teeth at the same time, but it does do front back and occlusal of an adjacent top and bottom tooth at the same time.

I read reviews on amazon about other user experiences and was unsure of whether or not to buy. It seems that hydra brush has a very UNINFORMATIVE/old web page where they fail to mention that they’ve released a new model which addresses some of the grievances mentioned in the reviews. I actually wrote to hydrabrush to ask them what the most current model was. I received a quick reply that the newest model is the 108A-R. This brush replaces the hydrabrush express model and hydrabrush no longer sells any model with an integrated water jet mechanism much too my disappointment. I was told that this is the model shown on their web page. While I can see now that the picture of the brush on the web page is indeed the newest model, there is no mention of the model number or past models on the web page. Its very helpful to see the evolution of a product, because issues which show up in reviews can be addressed in newer model literature with phrases like “new improved switch mechanism”. I don’t know why hydrabrush doesn’t show this. Showing the evolution of the product line also makes current users pine for the newer models!

So, I ended up buying the 108A-R model from Hammacher Schlemmer because Schlemmer has an unconditional lifetime guarantee. So, if it didn’t work – I figured I would just send it back – minus the restocking fee.

I have been waiting for this toothbrush since last Friday when I placed the order. It didn’t go out on Friday, even though I paid for it Friday morning. It ended up being sent on Monday by UPS basic – even though I paid 16.95 for shipping! Last night I didn’t even brush my teeth because I was so tired of standing in the bathroom trying not to miss a surface. So, I was very excited about being freed from my tedious regime. It arrived today Thursday 9/3/2009.

I tried the batteries that came with the brush and they were dead. It says that you have to charge them for 12 hours before first use(the device comes with a separate charger – just a regular wall plug in AA battery charger). But sometimes batteries work anyway and that would have been nice. So, then I popped in some used batteries and the device did not have enough power. So then I went and got a fresh set of batteries that I had just recharged and finally the device seemed to be operating properly.

I played around with my brushing method for a while – then I read the instruction booklet which tells you not to grab the handle with your whole hand, but rather to hold the handle with your thumb and forefinger on the two grip surfaces. There are lots of warnings in the booklet that your gums may bleed for a few days after starting usage because the hydra brush brushes your gums at the same time as your teeth. Well my gums are in amazing shape, due to this ridiculous routine I’ve been following. So, I had no bleeding issues whatsoever.

One thing I’ve noticed is that the hydrabrush applies a different amount of pressure to the tooth surface than I am used to. I am a big guy – 6’2″ -> 250. I now realize that I have been used to pressing the oral-b against my teeth fairly hard. This device does not really allow you to adjust the pressure you apply to your teeth as you’re just sort of positioning it so that it can brush. The pressure that it applied felt “right” though. It feels like it is scrubbing your teeth thoroughly but not removing enamel. Actually maybe a better description might be that it feels like it is “brushing” your tooth surfaces and not “scraping” them! I have a friend who has been warning me not to brush too hard because he actually experienced receding gums due to applying too much pressure. So, I’m happy with the amount of pressure that it exerts.

Also, it does feel like the device is getting all the surfaces of your teeth. Its sort of like if you had a mouth full of water and magically all that water was sprayed outward between your teeth simultaneously – its a very clean feeling. The angle of the brush heads is also very good. With the oral b I had to position the head at an angle along the gumline. This device automatically does that.

So, so far – I like the brush very much. Its actually sort of fun to use.

I hope that it will continue to perform like it did today. I still use the oral-b to brush my tongue and the roof of my mouth because this brush does not allow that. Also, I tried the included tongue scraper and like the one I had bought from the store more.

I hope that hydrabrush will update their website to show the evolution of their models. Also, what the heck is with this name “108A-R”. From “Express” to “108A-R”. What the heck? It should have been “Express Slim” or “Next Gen” or something. This 108A-R makes it seem like a wonky prototype number that didn’t get changed before production. From the pictures, it appears to me that the new 108A-R model has changed the following: different grip, slimmer handle, different “on” switch(now its a twist at the base instead of a switch in the middle of the handle). There may be other changes but from the pictures that’s what I see.

From the reviews and from my brief experience using the device, this is my take: It seems to me this model is the first consumer ready model. It looks much more normal and feels like it will hold up. It looks like a “modern” product with the grip contours and materials.

It does not feel as sturdy as the oral b. Also, the way you have change the batteries instead of having a built in charger when you replace it on the sink is a drawback.

However, it is MUCH MUCH MUCH faster to use and actually – I think in practice it will remove much more plaque because people are never going to spend 10 minutes massaging each tooth in their mouth from every angle as traditional brushes require you to. My teeth feel very clean and I didn’t have to spend 10 minutes trying to reposition the toothbrush correctly like I did with my oral b.

I am cautiously optimistic that this brush will be the replacement I have been looking for and that my oral care regime will stop being a source of dread and procrastination for me. I plan on coming back here to update this review periodically because I want people to know about this product so that if it works this company will stay in business!

Review by Alex on Amazon.com

Get a special deal, including free replacement brush heads, HERE.