Recently, I have been receiving inquiries about the new toothbrush called, “Quip”, which is one of the first electric toothbrushes to be backed by the American Dental Association. I decided to do some research on the product and provide my own personal feedback. Typically I do not recommend products unless I have tried them myself, so I purchased a Quip to provide firsthand information.

Background.  

Quip began when a neighborhood dentist in New York wanted to create an electric toothbrush with a simple design that honed in on core oral hygiene principles. Most patients here in our office have probably heard me talk about the problems associated with brushing too hard and the negative effect it has on oral health. This was a universal problem that the founder of Quip wanted to address in a new electric toothbrush. Other underlying problems that were being noticed among a number of patients included- not brushing long enough, brushing once instead of twice daily, failing to replace brush heads, and lack of regular dental visits. These fundamental problems were rooted in the fact that traditional electric toothbrushes can sometimes be too complex in regard to different settings that come with the brush and not being tailored to the oral health needs of consumers. With all of this in mind, Quip was developed.

What makes Quip Unique?

As I mentioned earlier, Quip has a simple design with one button that starts a 2-minute timer with 30-second intervals. The brush heads come with soft bristles and rubber gum stimulators surrounding the perimeter of the brush. Gum stimulators are advantageous because they can help remove plaque from along the gum line when brushing; they help remove trapped food debris from in between in your teeth, and they help stimulate adequate blood flow to the area in an attempt to eliminate harmful bacteria that thrive without oxygen. The vibrations of the brush that help clean plaque and bacteria off your teeth and around your gums are gentle and quiet, unlike some electric toothbrushes. On the backside of the brush, you will find a tongue scraper that will allow you to clean your tongue following brushing. An essential step that is often missed, brushing your tongue helps rid of odor causing bacteria and aids in maintenance of fresh breath. A unique feature to the Quip is that the company will send you one new brush head every 3 months along with a new battery for your toothbrush for $5.00 and free shipping for life. This brush is convenient in that it only requires a AAA battery, so a charge cord is not necessary which makes it simple to travel with and store. When you are finished brushing, the toothbrush can be placed into a cap that is easy to clean and keeps your toothbrush protected from the outside environment.

Quick view of the quip toothbrush set

Potential Improvement.

Although I have found several benefits to the Quip, I would like to mention a few areas that could potentially be improved. The cap that is meant to double as a wall mount and travel case for the brush, adheres well to the wall initially. After taking it down to travel, the case does not re-adhere well to the wall. I like this idea of having the toothbrush mounted to the wall so that it is off the counter and out of the way. However, it could maybe use a stronger adhesive.  Lastly, the company advertises that they will provide reminders to visit your dentist every 6 months. I believe this is an excellent strategy to hold patients accountable, but not every patient sees a dentist at 6- month intervals. Patients can come every 3, 4, or 6 months depending on the re-care determined by their oral health care professional. I think it would be wise not to generalize that every patient sees a dentist every 6 months in order to tailor to a wide population.

Should this product be implemented into an oral self care routine?

This was a simple review of the Quip and by no means was meant to discredit any of the other electric toothbrushes on the market. Advances in technology have made substantial improvements in regard to oral health and I applaud companies for developing new products to help consumers take better care of their mouths. The Quip is a product approved by the American Dental Association and is one that I will be recommending to patients. The simple design, the soft bristles with gum stimulators, affordable plans for refillable brush heads, and the support of a company that is making a product designed specifically for the modern consumer are reasons why I feel that this product is beneficial for proper oral health care.