“The simplicity of the Oral-B iO2 is intended to make it easier for manual users to switch to an electric toothbrush”

Dr Grotzer, what motivated you to work with Oral‑B, and has your journey over your nine years at the company shaped your perspective on oral care innovations?
As a student, my goal was to help people avoid disease and pain before it ever became a problem, because as a dentist I am able to prevent disease and not just detect it, which in itself is quite unique in the medical field. My career then brought me to surgery, but I always found it difficult to step in to fix problems after things had gone wrong and the damage was done. It was tough for me because my whole rationale was prevention, so I decided to go back to my goal of helping people avoid oral disease. In dental practice, I could only treat so many people a day, whereas my work at Oral‑B has given me an opportunity to do a lot more. I can now form partnerships with scientific associations, create programmes to educate and inform the public and share the knowledge I have acquired with millions of people.

What are the most common myths about oral care, and how does brushing with the Oral-B iO2 address these?
There are a few myths regarding electric vs. manual toothbrushes. One common myth is that electric toothbrushes are no more effective than manual ones. I always recommend using an electric toothbrush because they are far more effective than manual ones. Every dental professional and scientist I know agrees on this. Also, the round brush head of many electric toothbrushes, like the Oral-B iO2, allows the user to easily reach each part of the mouth.

A common myth is that you press too hard with an electric toothbrush, potentially harming your teeth. However, the opposite is actually true: you are more likely to press harder with a manual toothbrush. The Oral-B iO2 has an effective pressure control feature that alerts users if they are pressing too hard and that reduces the movement of the brush in that case.

There is also quite some debate about whether to use a fluoride toothpaste or one without fluoride. I would always advise patients to use a fluoride toothpaste. All dental associations in Germany, Austria and Switzerland take the position that fluoride toothpastes are the gold standard in oral hygiene. There is an anti-fluoride movement at the moment that claims that fluoride can harm the nervous system, but fluoride is a naturally occurring substance in groundwater, surface water, minerals, soil and many other places, and adding it at precise, low levels provides significant dental health benefits without risk of toxicity. Fluoride is even found naturally in plants and food, such as green and black tea, as well as salmon. While Oral-B iO2 does not directly address the fluoride debate, it pairs perfectly with fluoride toothpaste to enhance oral hygiene by improving brushing efficiency and consistency, ensuring that fluoride’s full benefits are maximised.

Is the greater effectiveness of electric toothbrushes the key factor in convincing manual toothbrush users to switch?
Many manual toothbrush users will try an electric toothbrush because they know it is more effective, but they want an easy-to-use model. They do not need Bluetooth functionality or different modes; they only want the basic modes. The Oral-B iO2 is aimed at closing the gap between high-end toothbrushes and manual toothbrushes, allowing us to bring the benefits of iO technology to as many people as possible. The simplicity of the Oral-B iO2 is intended to make it easier for manual users to switch to an electric toothbrush.

What insights does research provide about the Oral‑B iO technology?
Research has shown that the smart iO technology, through its oscillating–rotating action combined with innovative microvibrations, provides superior plaque removal, improving gum health. The pressure control system ensures gentle brushing, crucial for protecting both tooth enamel and gum tissue. Features in some of the toothbrushes in the iO family, such as personalised coaching and progress tracking, have been shown to improve adherence to healthy habits. With feedback, users are more likely to stick to an oral care routine and maintain consistent brushing habits.

The importance of oral health and its link to general health has been well established in dentistry in the last few years, but it still seems to be quite new in the medical field. It seems that this could be an area of doctor–dentist collaboration.
Dentists are more aware of the connection between oral and overall health than general medical practitioners are. In recent years, many more studies have been released that have addressed this topic and proved the connections between oral and general health. You are correct that more general medical practitioners have to become aware of this topic and refer their patients to the dentist because many infections related to the oral cavity will affect other parts of the body. For example, a patient suffering from periodontitis and being treated for it will improve drastically in other areas of his or her health.

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