I’ve been testing Dyson’s CameraJet toothbrush – it could change how we brush

Dyson’s latest product is an electric toothbrush that promises to be like no other. It uses a tiny camera to see what’s going on in your mouth, and as the brush passes the gaps between your teeth, the hybrid device sprays mouthwash to floss. I’ve been testing the toothbrush ahead of its launch, and it could be a game-changer. The clever idea has been in development for six years, and the toothbrush itself is immaculately engineered, complete with a tiny reservoir for the mouthwash. At the touch of a button on the charging dock, the toothbrush refills the brush with more mouthwash for next time. Oh, and the company has also devised its own toothpaste, designed to work both optimally and optically with the brush – it’s a non-foaming paste that allows the camera to see the teeth clearly.The brush comes in Dyson’s signature stylish colours – ceramic blue and pink. Unsurprisingly, this is not a cheap brush. However, at £419.99, it’s half the price of the most expensive Oral-B iO10 brush (though this is on special offer for £300 right now). But is Dyson’s CameraJet toothbrush worth it? How I testedDavid Phelan/The Standard I’ve been using the CameraJet twice a day for a week, plus extra sessions to test its various features. I looked into how complex the set-up is, how long it took and whether the battery needed charging beforehand. I also noted how easy it was to change the brush head, fill with mouthwash, and assemble the dock. Above all, I assessed its brushing capability, how clean my mouth felt afterwards, and how straightforward it was to use the basic and more advanced functions.Dyson★★★★☆What we love: Cleaning feels great, the jet flossing is powerful and effective, and the performance is excellent.Take note: There’s quite the learning curve, and it makes a mess, plus it’s too big for some bathrooms. Also, not cheap.DesignThe Dyson toothbrush, especially when placed in its dock, takes up a lot of space. It will be too big for some bathroom cabinets or shelves. The dock comes with a clear plastic sleeve for travel. However, once it’s in your hand, it’s easy to grip and doesn’t feel oversized or heavy – though it’s a big departure from slim electric toothbrushes such as the Suri Pro 2.0, for instance.It’s connected via a USB-C cable which attaches to the dock – you’ll need an adapter to connect it to the shaver plug found in most bathrooms. A separate cable can connect directly into the toothbrush, which is handy when travelling.The size largely owes to the 12.5ml mouthrinse tank, which is used during brushing. This can be refilled manually or via the dock at the touch of a button. Dyson describes the tank as “anti-gravity”, meaning mouthwash is dispensed without pause, whichever angle the brush is held at – it works brilliantly. The head features green and blue bristles designed to get into the gumline while brushing off surface stains. The green outer bristles are soft to suit gums. The CameraJet is complete with a mouthwash bottle and toothpaste. For the camera to work effectively, you need a non-foaming toothpaste. “[We didn’t develop our own] because we want to sell and make money out of toothpaste and mouthwash, but because [the toothbrush camera] works best with ours and has been thoroughly tested,” Sir James Dyson told me. How to useSir James Dyson told me the brush learns the shape of your mouth over time David Phelan/The Standard This toothbrush is unlike any other. Beyond brushing, it offers built-in flossing. “I think it’s only one out of ten people who actually floss, and people spend far too little time in the brushing process in each session,” Sir Dyson told me. “The simple idea was, why can’t you jet between the teeth while you brush?”To get the most out of it, set it to Brush and Auto-Jet. As well as brushing, it automatically flosses, although you can also brush without flossing or use it purely to jet mouthwash between your teeth. The built-in camera even gives you a live view inside your mouth.There’s a learning curve, though. You can’t just shove it in your gob and hope for the best. The MyDyson app’s how-to videos recommend holding the brush horizontally, moving it in slow ovals and, crucially, smiling as you brush. The downside is that toothpaste can spray out of your mouth, so watch what you’re wearing. The upside is that the camera can accurately spot the gaps between your teeth.As the brush passes each gap, you hear a loud click as a powerful jet of mouthwash shoots between your teeth. The result, in my experience, is an exceptionally clean, fresh mouth – more so than with other toothbrushes. Just be prepared to clean the bathroom sink afterwards.PerformanceThe toothbrush boasts a built-in mouthwash tank David Phelan/The Standard It takes concentration to get the most from this brush. The concept is outstanding, but the reality takes practice. Despite the non-foaming toothpaste, I found Auto-Jet would sometimes stop because the camera couldn’t see clearly enough. I’d spit out the toothpaste, carry on, and it would work perfectly again.The toothbrush lights tell you when Auto-Jet is struggling, while the smart timer pauses and resumes from where you stopped. Spotting gaps between the front teeth is trickier than with the back teeth, although smiling, as Dyson recommends, helps.If you think you’ve missed a spot, the middle button triggers a jet manually. The MyDyson app is essential, particularly Live View, which shows exactly what the camera sees so you can fire the conical jet of mouthwash into the right gap. Guided Cleaning also makes sure you spend enough time on each section of your mouth.The more I used it, the more natural it felt. Sir Dyson told me the brush learns the shape of your mouth over time, improving its performance. He’s been using one for a year himself and says his hygienist now has less remedial work to do.Camera: 100k pixel macro lens camera taking 28 images per second Brush speed: Up to 58,000 vibrations per minute Battery life: 10 days Full recharge: 8 hours Size: 273 x 44 x 44mm Weight: 228g Is the Dyson CameraJet worth it?It’s sensational, but the CameraJet is still a work in progress, and while Dyson claims it learns your mouth over time, that hasn’t happened yet. Even so, the feeling of a clean mouth with well-brushed teeth and massaged gums is tremendous. The flossing feature is exceptional – and far more effective than other water flossers I’ve tried. There’s no getting away from the fact that the brush is big, and many bathrooms will find it tricky to accommodate. The way the toothpaste splashes everywhere because your mouth is open is annoying, but the effectiveness of the flossing justifies the clean-up required afterwards.This is a genuine innovation. It’s not perfect but, oh boy, it makes your mouth feel great when you’ve used it.