Skip to main content

Find gifts that go better together! Shop our Gift Guide

Free standard US shipping on all orders $70+ AND on all orders including a subscription - shop now!

Do you need a $500 toothbrush?

Short answer: no. Here's what makes a difference, and what it costs

 

A new toothbrush just hit the market with a built-in camera and a price tag to match: $500. It streams live footage of your mouth while it cleans and tracks the gaps between your teeth as it goes. It's impressive (and, okay, a little fascinating).

 

New tech pushing an old category forward is a good thing, and it's getting more people to think about their mouths than a toothpaste ad ever could. But it also raises the question everyone's typing into a search bar right now: do you need to spend $500 to get your oral health right?

 

The good news? You don't.

 

Most people aren't struggling because their toothbrush isn't smart enough. They're struggling because the basics, two full minutes of brushing twice a day plus flossing, aren't happening consistently. Fixing that doesn't require a huge price tag.

$500 isn't as wild as it sounds, but it's not required either

To be fair: dental care in the U.S. isn't cheap. Between checkups, cleanings, and the occasional filling or crown, a single dentist visit that goes beyond routine can easily run into the hundreds.

 

According to federal survey data from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the average American who had a dental visit in 2021 spent $887 that year on dental care, and that figure climbs higher for anyone needing more than a routine cleaning. Looked at against that backdrop, $500 for a device some people hope will keep them out of the dentist's chair doesn't sound so unreasonable.

 

The tools that drive results (a full two minutes of brushing, twice a day, with decent technique, plus regular flossing) don't require a camera to work. They require showing up and being consistent, which is a lot more affordable than $500.

What "showing up" costs

Here's the real math:

  • A quip Ultra™ Lite Sonic Toothbrush starts at $60, with a built-in two-minute timer and pressure sensor so you're not guessing at technique. A year of fresh brush heads (dentists recommend swapping every 3 months) runs about $32 on top of that, so a full year of guided, better brushing lands well under $100.

  • Prefer oscillation? The quip Rev Oscillating Toothbrush starts at $50, with the same idea: a year of refills adds about $32, keeping the whole year under $85.

  • Add flossing, the step most people skip, with quip Woven String Floss running $9 to start, then $8 refills every 3 months (about $33 a year).

Put the toothbrush and the string floss together, refills included, and you're looking at a full year of better oral care for roughly a quarter of the cost of that one camera-equipped toothbrush on day one. No live feed required.

The upgrade that matters

None of this is a criticism of innovation. More attention on oral health, from any direction, is a win.

 

But the biggest gap for most people was never resolution or smart targeting. It's consistency. It's the two minutes that get cut short, the flossing that gets skipped, the routine that quietly slides after a few busy weeks.

 

That's the upgrade worth paying for: tools that make the daily basics easier and more enjoyable so you actually stick to them.

 

Not sure which tools fit your mouth? Your dentist or hygienist is a great person to ask.

Real results don't need a camera. Build a routine you'll actually keep, for a fraction of the cost. Shop quip.

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, Statistical Brief #555, Dental Utilization and Expenditures (March 2024).