Oral-B Pro 5000 Electric Toothbrush Tested and Reviewed

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The Pro 5000 is where the Oral-B range starts to get fancy. Bluetooth apps and an included travel case are just some of the perks of owning this electric toothbrush.

Join us as we examine everything you could possibly want to know about the Oral-B Pro 5000. Our detailed review will help you make the right decision when purchasing your new electric toothbrush.

Oral-B Pro 5000 Electric Toothbrush

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Oral-B Pro 5000 Unboxing

If you were to open the box of your brand new Oral-B Pro 5000 Electric toothbrush, this is what would be waiting for you inside:

Oral-B Pro 5000 electric toothbrush handle and accessories that come in box

Let’s break it down:

  1. Oral-B Pro 5000 Handle
  2. Oral-B CrossAction Toothbrush Head
  3. Plastic Travel Case
  4. Brush Head Storage Case
  5. Battery Charger
  6. Instruction Manual

At the bottom of the box you will also find a discount coupon that will save you money off your next brush head purchase. Hold onto this coupon as you find yourself replacing the brush head every three months.

Straight up, the instruction manual is confusing. The manual also covers the next model up (The Black/White 7000), which has more features. Annoyingly, the instruction manual covers both toothbrushes at the same time, rather than giving each their own section. This makes it difficult to determine what is relevant to the Pro 5000 and what is relevant to the Black/White 7000.

Not off to a great start. Let’s see if things get better…

Oral-B Pro 5000 Handle

The Oral-B Pro 5000 handle has taken a very different turn from the Pro 3000 and Pro 1000, both of which look eerily similar to each other. The Pro 5000 is both thicker and taller and is decked out in a much more modern looking color scheme; a white with silver highlights.

Oral-B Pro 5000 Electric toothbrush close up on power button and cleaning mode cycle button

On the face of the Oral-B Pro 5000 you will find two buttons.

1. Power: The top button is your power button. Pressing this turns your electric toothbrush on and off.

2. Brushing Mode: Pressing this button cycles through the different brushing modes (from strong to sensitive).

The second button just for brushing modes is a welcome change. Using a single button to function as both on/off and brush modes just doesn’t work well (as seen when we reviewed the Oral-B Pro 3000).

The buttons are set into a rubber grip. Annoyingly, the grip is not textured or ribbed, making it much easier for your fingers to slide down. The choice of a smooth grip is confusing given just how well the textured grip worked on the lower models.

Towards the base of the handle, you will see the display screen.

Oral-B Pro 5000 Electric toothbrush display screen

To put it simply, this is how the Oral-B Pro 5000 communicates with you. At a glance, you will be able to tell how full the battery is or whether or not your blue tooth is active.

I will be covering the display screen in much greater detail further down the review.

At the base of the Handle you will notice a small socket:

Oral-B Pro 5000 Electric toothbrush specifications and charging socket on base of handle

When the time comes to charge your toothbrush this socket sits on top of the charging stand.

Around the outside of the socket, you can see printed specifications including the battery type and model, as well the Government standards that the Oral-B 5000 complies with.

You will also make out the words “Made in Germany”. Just like the vast majority of Oral-B toothbrushes, this one is also made in Germany. A nice change given that the majority of electrical products are made in China these days.

Oral-B Pro 5000 Electric toothbrush triumph professional care brand confusion

On the side of the handle, written in embossed lettering are the words “Triumph Professional care”

The Pro 5000 is the successor to the Triumph Professional Care. For whatever reason, Oral-B have continued to use the same casing despite having rebranded the toothbrush.

If you flip the Oral-B Pro 5000 this is what you will see:

Oral-B Pro 5000 Electric toothbrush rear photo

Unlike the lower models, the Pro 5000 features a textured rubber grip on the rear. While it does help with stopping the toothbrush from slipping through your fingers, it still would have been nice to see the same grip on the front of the handle.

That rectangular shaped gray piece of plastic at the bottom of the handle is the stand. If it wasn’t for this, your toothbrush would constantly roll away when you lay it flat.

At the neck of the handle, you will find a clear piece of plastic.

Oral-B Pro 5000 Electric toothbrush pressure sensor indicator light

This is the pressure sensor indicator. And when you press down too hard on your teeth it lights up, warning you to use less pressure while brushing.

Before we move on I would just like to express my disappointment in the build quality in the handle.

The Pro 5000 Is marketed as Oral-B’s second best electric toothbrush. However; the build quality was about equal to the cheapest electric toothbrush in the range, the Oral-B Vitality.

Now the flaws are only cosmetic and in no way affect how the Pro 5000 performs. I may very well be overly critical so I will let you judge it for yourself:

Oral-B Pro 5000 Electric toothbrush examples of poor workmanship

If this was a cheaper electric toothbrush then I wouldn’t even bring this up since costs have to be cut somewhere. But to see such poor workmanship at this price range was disappointing to say the least.

Oral-B Pro 5000 Toothbrush Heads

At the very top of the Oral-B Pro 5000 you will find a metal shaft.

Oral-B Pro 5000 Electric toothbrush close up on metal shaft

This shaft can take any one of Oral-B’s many different replacement heads (sold separately). Be sure to check out our guide on all the different brush heads that can fit the Pro 5000.

When it comes to brush heads, Oral-B offers more choice than any other electric toothbrush brand. From gentle brush heads designed just for sensitive gums to larger brush heads that imitate the brushing motion of a manual toothbrush, there is something for everyone .

Included in the box of the Oral-B Pro 5000 is a single brush head, the CrossAction:

Close up on Oral-B Cross Action toothbrush head and identification ring

True to its name, the CrossAction brush head is made up of clusters of bristles that crisscross. The angled bristle design helps remove plaque from along your gum line and between your teeth.

If I had to describe just how firm the bristles are I would say medium. If you are currently used to a soft-bristled toothbrush then you may find this brush head a little abrasive.

Since this brush head was designed to appeal to the masses the vast majority of you will not have a problem with the bristles. But those of you who do can swap it out for a more sensitive option but you will have to buy the brush head separately.

Now if you looked closely at the picture above you may have made out a small plastic blue ring.

Crossaction toothbrush head with plastic blue identification ring attached to base

This is actually an identification ring. If you are the only one that uses the electric toothbrush in your household then it will be of little use to you.

But the beauty of an electric toothbrush is that unlike your regular toothbrush, it can be shared between you and your partner. Even your kids.

That’s where the indicator rings come in. The rings allow you to tell your brush heads apart so that you do not put your partner’s grimy toothbrush in your mouth.

The toothbrush head simply slides onto the shaft of the Oral-B Pro 5000 with the lightest of touches and a quick tug is all it takes to remove it again. Swapping out a toothbrush head takes no longer than three seconds, which definitely makes sharing the toothbrush less frustrating.

Over time your toothbrush head will begin to wear out. Oral-B uses blue “indicator bristles” to let you know the time has come to replace your toothbrush head. When the bristles have faded, it’s time to replace your brush head.

During testing I found this to be a fairly reliable method of determining when to change the heads. Brushing twice a day saw the blue indicator bristles fade almost right on the 3-month mark. Impressive.

Oral-B Pro 5000 Electric toothbrush with cross action brush head attached

With the CrossAction brush head attached to the handle, the Oral-B Pro 5000 stands at just over 9.5 inches tall.

Unfortunately, this was just a little to tall to stand upright on the shelf of my medicine cabinet. Instead, I had to lay the electric toothbrush on my side, which isn’t my preference. At least the brush head does not come into contact with the shelf when you lay it down.

Storage Accessories

Included in the box are two storage options that will help you get the most out of your new Oral-B Pro 5000; One for use at home, the other for when you are traveling. Let’s start with around the home.

If you share the handle, or just like alternating between brush heads, then you will almost certainly be making use of the brush head holder:

Oral-B Toothbrush head holder

The toothbrush holder gives you a dedicated place to store your brush heads when they are not in use. All the different styles of Oral-B brush heads comfortably fit inside.

If your whole family wants in on the electric brushing action then you will be pleased to note that the holder can carry up to 4 different brush heads and the ventilation holes allow the bristles to dry even when the lid is down.

Oral-B Pro Toothbrush head holder with lid open

I was pleased to note that even with a brush head in each of the four slots I was easily able to pick up the middle brushes, even with my fat fingers.

When you start to notice the brush head holder griming up you will want to give it a clean down to keep it hygienic. Cleaning is as simple as a trip through a dishwasher cycle. Yep, the toothbrush case is actually dishwasher safe.

Oral-B Pro Electric toothbrush charger and brush holder case

You may have been wondering what the oval hole is off to the left of the holder is for. It is here that your battery charger sits. If you have the free space you can set this up on your bathroom counter as an all-in-one brushing station.

The charger is not dishwasher safe so be sure to remove it when the time comes to clean the brush holder.

When you need to leave the house overnight you can take your electric toothbrush with the help of the travel case:

Oral-B Pro 5000 electric toothbrush blue travel case

The travel case is designed to keep the Oral-B Pro 5000 safe when travelling. Simply shove it in your luggage and away you go. Since the Oral-B Pro 5000 handle does not have a travel lock, the case also prevents your toothbrush from turning on by accident at the bottom of your bag.

Now I recommend giving the travel case a good wash because it does have a strong plastic odor when you first take it out of the box. The kind of smell that makes you cough. Yuck.

Oral-B Pro 5000 electric toothbrush and two crossaction brush heads sitting inside travel case

Inside the case, there is room for two brush heads and the Oral-B Pro 5000 toothbrush handle to slot inside. You can fit another two brush heads for a total of four but these will bounce around loose inside the case.

It was nice to see that air vents have been cut into the case to help damp brush heads to dry even when inside the case.

To be honest the case feels quite flimsy and if you travel a lot then you may want to chase down a more durable storage case. But for those of you who only travel a few times each year should see the case last.

Charging the Oral-B Pro 5000

You will not be able to use your Oral-B Pro 5000 straight out of the box. First, you are going to have to charge the battery.

The charging stand of the Pro 5000 is identical to the chargers that come with the rest of the Oral-B range of electric toothbrushes.

Oral-B Pro 3000 Electric Toothbrush induction battery charging stand

The charger is little more than an oval shapped piece of plastic with a knob sticking out of the top.

You line the bottom of your Oral-B Pro 5000 up with this knob, slide it over and just like that the battery will begin to charge.

Like most of the Oral-B electric toothbrush range, the Pro 5000 charges wirelessly. The knob of the charger does not click or lock into the toothbrush instead, your toothbrush will just sit loose on top. Anyone who hates plugging and unplugging the charger cord on their mobile will quickly come to love this style of charging.

The cord found on the charger is just over 4 feet in length. Long enough to stretch from your nearest power outlet to your bathroom counter.

If you flip the charger over you can see the specifications printed on the bottom.

Oral-B Electric toothbrush specifications printed on bottom of charger

Once again you see the shortcoming of the charger. The charger only works between 100-130V. While this will work anywhere inside the boarders of the United States, it will only in with very few countries internationally.

It’s odd. Braun uses multi-voltage chargers on their shaver range but has chosen not to include this feature for their Oral-B toothbrushes.

Note: This review is of the American Model. If you buy the Oral-B Pro 5000 or any variation locally then it will be compatible with the voltage of that country.

For shorter trips this won’t be a problem since you can get up to 10 days brushing off a single charge (2 minutes twice daily), simply charge your toothbrush before you leave but for longer vacations, the battery will likely die before the trip is over.

The Oral-B Pro 5000 will immediately begin to charge the moment you place it on the charger:

Oral-B Pro 5000 Electric Toothbrush sitting on charger with battery indicator light flashing blue

To let you know that the battery is charging, a blue indicator light will flash blue. Once your toothbrush is fully charged, the indicator will switch off.

Now I must warn you that this light is quite bright and if your bathroom faces into your bedroom then the blinking light will look like flashing police lights in the dead of the night. Your best bet is to keep your bathroom door closed.

The Battery display is a huge improvement over the lower models. The battery display has 3 lights. Each light represents roughly 33% charge, allowing you to have a rough idea of just how many brushing sessions you have before the battery dies.

When the battery starts to run low, the bottom indicator will rapidly flash blue. I would have preferred to see the indicator light colored red on the lower models as the first time it started flashing I was somewhat puzzled as to what it meant. I quickly realized what it was trying to tell me when my battery died a short time later.

The moment you take the handle off charge, the Bluetooth indicator lights up and the toothbrush will try to connect to the mobile app, regardless of whether or not you have the toothbrush connected.

Oral-B Pro 5000 Electric Toothbrush buletooth indicator

Yep, this tooth brush can actually pair with your phone to track your brushing stats, time your brushing sessions, remind you to replace your brush head and more. It’s like a fitbit for your teeth.

Here is a screenshot of the in-app toothbrush timer, It even cycles through today’s weather, your calendar and recent news while you brush.

Oral-B Pro 5000 Electric toothbrush companion app brushing timer

Now despite the app offering a lot, I found it to be a bit of a gimmick This is coming form someone who absolutely loves cutting edge technology. The brush will still vibrate every 30 seconds to let you keep track of how long you have been brushing, so I don’t really see the point of the timer on the app.

Having to keep your phone nearby while you brush soon gets tiresome and the data that is tracked is little more than the time of each brushing session.

Unless you are someone who has an acute fascination with collecting data on every aspect of their lives, the initial playfulness of the app will get old and you may soon go back to brushing without it.  However, for those of you techno-freaks (I’m secretly becoming one), here’s a primer on the functions of the app:

Testing the Oral-B Pro 5000 Electric Toothbrush.

While I didn’t mind the shape of the lower modal oral-b brushes, the Pro 5000 shows just how comfortable an electric toothbrush should be. The curved front and back combined with the added thickness makes it as easy to hold as a banana!

Oral-B Pro 5000 Electric Toothbrush held in hand

Oral-B has included a couple of features on the Pro 5000 to ensure that you have the most efficient brushing experience.

The first feature we will look at is to help you brush your teeth for the recommended amount of time.

Many dentists agree that proper brushing takes at least two minutes.

Every 30 seconds you spend brushing, the Pro 5000 will briefly pause and the indicator light on the neck flash green to alert you that 30 seconds has passed.

Now you may be wondering why 30 seconds? It’s because the recommended brushing technique, according to the instruction manual, is to split your mouth into quadrents (quarters) and spend 30 seconds brushing each.

For example:

  1. Brush left half of the top teeth for 30 seconds
  2. Brush right half of top teeth for 30 seconds
  3. Brush left half of the bottom teeth for 30 seconds
  4. Brush right half of bottom teeth for 30 seconds

Each time the Pro 5000 alerts you that 30 seconds are up, you move onto the next quarter of your mouth.

Once you have finished brushing all quarters, two minutes will have passed. And just like that, you have brushed your teeth for the recommended 2 minutes. It really is that simple.

The Oral-B Pro 5000 will pulse three times to signal when the two minutes is up. At this point, it will continue running (for those of you who wish to brush longer). You will need to manually press the power button when you have finished brushing.

Just like the Oral-B Pro 3000, the Pro 5000 has a selection of different brush modes. These modes are cycled through by pressing the the bottom button on the face of the handle.

There are 5 different cleaning modes:

  1. Daily Clean – The standard mode
  2. Deep Clean – Increases timer to 3 minute clean (45 seconds/quarter)
  3. Sensitive – Gentler mode for sensitive teeth and gums
  4. Whitening – Cycles through low and high powered bursts
  5. Massage – Cycles through low and high powered bursts

So as you can see there are a few different ways you can brush your teeth. But in our testing, we found two problems that make using anything but the standard daily clean incredibly annoying.

1. No indication of which cleaning mode is in action – Each time you press the cycle button, there is no clear indication of whether or not the cleaning mode has changed. You have to listen to the sound the motor makes determine which mode you are on. Unfortunately, the brushing modes all sound quite similar.

2. The cycle resets – So you have found a brushing mode you like. When you finish brushing your teeth and place the Pro 5000 back down on the charger, the cleaning mode resets to “Daily Clean”. You will have to cycle back through to your preferred cleaning mode every single time you brush your teeth. Why Oral-B did not include a memory function is beyond me.

Pushing these two flaws aside, the extended cleaning mode (Deep Clean) was a nice addition. If you prefer to take your time brushing your teeth, spending three minutes instead of two then you will love the fact you can adjust the built in timer to suit.

If you have been putting off buying an electric toothbrush because of extremely sensitive teeth or gums then maybe the sensitive mode is what you have been waiting for.

Matthew Messina, DDS says:

People with sensitive teeth may find that their teeth are less sensitive when the brush head moves slower or less pressure is applied.

Now there might just be some truth to this. One of or testers who had sensitive teeth said that he much preferred brushing with the sensitive mode.

The Whitening and Massage modes are much more of a gimmick and did not impress a single tester.

The last feature you will come across is the pressure sensor.

Oral-B Pro 5000 Electric toothbrush pressure sensor indicator flashing red

When you press down to hard, the neck of the toothbrush flashes an angry shade of red, telling you to lighten up a little.

In theory, this is a great idea but when we tested it, we were able to press down with far too much force before the warning light triggered.

Yep, even if you do have a habit of pressing too hard, it is likely you will still never be able to trigger this warning light. So this feature was absolutely useless.

The included head is unique in that not only does it rapidly oscillate (move back and forth) but also pulsates (vibrates) as well.

Confused? This diagram will give you a better idea of these movements:

Oral-b-brush-head-oscillation-and-pulse diagram

The Oral-B Pro 5000 is capable of performing up to 40,000 pulses and 8,800 oscillations per minute. It is worth mentioning that this is identical to that of the Oral-B Pro 3000. Fortunately that is a darn fine brushing experience that with proper technique will leave your teeth feeling smoother than ever.

At the time of writing, any toothbrush higher than the Oral-B Pro 3000 performs the exact same pulses and oscillations per minute. This means that if you were to close your eyes you would not be able to tell the difference in brushing (on standard or sensitive mode).

When you have finished brushing your teeth make sure you rinse the handle and brush head after each use. If you don’t you will find that dried toothbrush will build up and discolor the handle or worse; cement the toothbrush head to the shaft.

Fortunately if this does happen you simply hold the toothbrush under hot running water. The Oral-B Pro 5000 is water proof which makes cleaning as simple as dunking the brush under water.

Satisfaction Guarantee

Oral-B offers a love it or your money back guarantee. If you are unhappy with the Oral-B Pro 1000 for any reason you can return it for a full refund within 60 days.

Oral B has more information about this guarantee on their website

For those of you unsure whether or not an electric toothbrush is right for you, this guarantee provides a nice safety net.

Final Thoughts

The Oral-B Pro 5000 packs a lot of bonus features into a nicer shaped handle than any lower models. But at the end of the day, the brushing experience is identical to that of the Oral-B Pro 3000.

The one big advantage the Pro 5000 has is it’s 10 day battery life (2 minutes twice daily) This will be especially appealing if you share your toothbrush handle then you will get more use out of this before you need to recharge.

Unless you find any of the extra features particularly appealing (Bluetooth app, travel case etc.) then you may be better off looking into the Oral-B Pro 3000 we also reviewed. At the end of the day, the Pro 5000 Brushes your teeth just fine and offers the equally best brushing experience that Oral-B has to offer.

FAQs

How Long Do Oral B Electric Toothbrushes Last?

Oral B electric toothbrushes offer three different power levels, and they have eight cleaning modes available. They’re the perfect option for any individual, whether you have sensitive teeth or not. They are designed to clean teeth and remove plaque efficiently. However, many factors determine how long an Oral-B electric toothbrush can last, including how often it is used, what type of brush head is used, and how well it is taken care of.

Generally, Oral-B electric toothbrushes will typically last for more than three years and some models may even last up to five years. Keeping your brush clean is the key to ensuring it lasts as long as possible. The battery life of an Oral B electric toothbrush also depends on the model you purchase.

Are Oral B Electric Toothbrush Heads Interchangeable?

Dentists recommend replacing your toothbrush head every three to four months, so it’s best to find one with many models available. The Oral-B electric toothbrush’s heads are interchangeable if you have a compatible handle. Moreover, Oral B electric toothbrushes are compatible with most standard or extra-soft brush heads, such as Vitality Precision Clean, Vitality Dual Clean, Genius Pro 8000, and Genius 9000.

The interchangeable brush head system is a revolutionary advancement in oral care, making it easier than ever to maintain healthy dental hygiene. Thus, Oral B allows users to choose the best brush head according to their specific needs and preferences.