Quip Toothbrush

You’ve likely seen the minimalistic Quip on your social media feed. The toothbrush, which looks little like one, promises a better, more modern brushing experience, the result of the combined efforts of both designers and dentists.

Quip first began when it was realized that years of trying to reinvent the wheel hardly resulted in any groundbreaking toothbrushes. Instead, users still had the same bad habits of brushing too hard, brushing too quickly, not brushing enough and not replacing their toothbrush.

The result is a sleek toothbrush that comes with a wall mount and travel cover, and no bulky charger. The device uses vibration guides with a two-minute timer set at 30-second intervals to encourage soft brushing for the recommended amount of time. The fresh toothbrush heads are delivered to users every three months. The brand also sells its own toothpaste, which includes fluoride, but none of the potentially harmful whitening chemicals found in many toothpaste brands; the toothpaste comes with a usage guide to encourage less waste.

The Quip brush sets start at $25, with head refills delivered every three months starting at $5. Choose from a plastic or metal handle (the metal handle bumps the cost up to $40). Enjoy a lifetime guarantee, 30-day returns and free shipping on refills worldwide. The brush itself comes in six colors — silver, gray, gold, bronze, teal and blue. You can also buy group sets for families or couples.

Quip also provides its users with rewards. Get a $5 coupon when you share Quip with a friend, a $5 coupon when you connect with your dentist on Quip or a $5 credit when you submit a blog or photo to the brand’s oral health movement.

However, is Quip just one of the “gimmicks” it purports not to be? Yes, the design is pretty and the timer is handy, but it doesn’t necessarily make the user brush more times throughout the day, or brush a certain way to prevent damage.

While Quip is a cute and social media-friendly option for oral health care, it’s not the holy grail. Good habits are still required for oral health for life.