Radius Toothbrush: My Review and Buyer's Guide

Along with my personal review of the Radius toothbrush, I've compiled a buyer's guide to the available models for adults and kids, complete with features and specifications, including left-handed toothbrush options. Learn the advantages and disadvantages of Radius toothbrushes. Find tips for where to buy individual or bulk brushes, replacement heads, and the holder / travel case for the brush.

I have used the Radius toothbrush for about ten years now. Because of my overwhelmingly positive experiences, this review will mostly cover the benefits of this product, but to be fair I do mention some negatives or disadvantages.

Since I have a small mouth, I've used the Kidz model, the one designed for children age 6 and up, as it fits me better than the adult toothbrush. I also like my bristles as soft as I can get them, and the Kidz Radius is designed with even softer bristles than the adult brush.

I love using the Radius toothbrush. It's gentle on my gums and doesn't leave them hurting or stinging, as all conventional toothbrushes do in my experience (even brushes marketed as supposedly soft enough for young children). Despite the lack of an abrasive feel, my teeth feel smooth and polished after brushing, and I can never find food stuck in the nooks and crannies even when I neglect to floss (which I fear is too often). I've used a children's toothbrush on my toddler's teeth and my toddler didn't flinch or seem to mind the contact.

The Radius toothbrush is undeniably expensive, but I only have to replace it about once a year. Unlike every other toothbrush I've owned, it really takes that long for the bristles to start looking frayed.

The big disadvantage of these toothbrushes for me is that they don't fit in standard toothbrush holders. That means I use a small tray in a drawer to store my toothbrush, which actually has turned out to be more hygienic.

Also, I can't use the adult brush because I have a very small mouth, to the aggravation of many a dentist working on my mouth. The Radius brush heads are designed to be wider than standard so that they that they can cover both the teeth and gums in the same brushing action. This means I'm stuck with the kids' brush. Despite the ignominy, the children's brushes are slightly cheaper - so in its own way, this is a benefit instead of a con.

Advantages of the Radius Toothbrush

• Radius toothbrushes are accepted by the ADA, the American Dental Association. (At the time of this writing, the Fisher-Price toothbrushes are still being evaluated for acceptance)
• They're about as green as a toothbrush can be. They're not tested on animals. The case is recyclable. The Source toothbrush is even made of recycled materials. Although the toothbrush itself cannot be recycled due to the multiplicity of materials, the manfacturer reports on its website that it makes a mean kitchen vegetable brush for years after it's retired from oral hygiene use!
  
• The bristles, made of Tynex© nylon, are designed to be very fine and soft and plentiful (two or three times the number of bristles in conventional toothbrushes, and the bristles are polished to have smooth ends), to aid their thoroughly reaching the spaces between teeth and gums, while gently massaging the gums.
• The toothbrush handle and angle of the head are designed to make it natural to brush at a 45 degree angle to the teeth.
• Both the larger surface area of the head and the bulky handle with its funky shape actually make it easier to grip the toothbrush lightly, meaning you don't press as hard while you're brushing your teeth, resulting in less abrasian of the teeth and gums.
  
• The toothbrushes are cost effective for their lifespan, as they tend to last longer than standard toothbrushes. In a 2000 manufacturer's survey of over 1,200 users, it was found that 30 percent said they lasted 12 months or more, 30 percent reported 9 months, 30 percent reported 6 months, and 10 percent said they lasted 3 months.
• Left-handed toothbrushes are available for adults.

Disadvantages of the Radius Toothbrush

• Not sized conveniently to fit into conventional toothbrush holders
• The bristles are so soft that they can be crushed easily, so if you don't have a protective case, or smush them in packing, or your toddler gets hold of them in the package and gnaws on them (which happened to us) they may get warped out of shape.
  
• Expensive

• Handle is made of the wood-based plastic, cellulose propionate, derived 93 percent from sustainable forests.
• Recommended replacement every 9 months
• 6500 bristles
• Comes in right handed or left handed versions
• ADA accepted

• 2 minute beeping timer to time the brushing session
• 180-use wear meter
• Disposable replaceable heads - replacement heads available
• Left handed/right handed reverseable brushing
• Comes in Soft or Medium bristles
• Good for adults and kids 6 and older
• ADA accepted

• Disposable replaceable heads - replacement heads available
• Made with 93 percentrecycled materials and from 47 percent renewable resources
• Bio-plastic handles made of recycled flax, recycled dollar bills, recycled wood and recycled polypropylene
• Left handed / right handed reversable brushing
• Comes in soft or medium bristles
• ADA accepted

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• Flexible neck handle design for hard brushers to minimize brushing pressure - when it bends, you're brushing too hard
• Replace every 9 months
• 6000 bristles
• Available in left-handed or right-handed models
• ADA accepted

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• Suitable for children ages 6 - 11 and adults with small jaws
• Right hand design
• Softer bristles than Radius Original for adults
• ADA accepted

• Suitable for the tender mouths of babies age 6 months through age 18 months
• 8,000 bristles are ultra soft
• Tapered handle for ease of handling
• Corner-free oval head
• Dye-free (billed as the first completely dye free toothbrush)
• BPA free (bisphenol-A) (billed as the first ever BPA-free toothbrush).

• Suitable for age 18 months and older
• 6,800 extra soft bristles to be gentle on teething toddlers' sensitive gums
• FDA approved
• BPA-free
• Tapered handle for easy handling
• Oval head designed without corners
• Cushioned bristle layout means you only need to use light pressure to brush

Because left-handed people represent less than 10 percent of the commercial market, it can be extremely hard to find left-handed toothbrushes.

Radius makes more than one model especially designed for left handed men and women to maximize ergonomic handling and effective brushing.

The Scuba and the Original Radius both come in left handed options.

Your local drugstore is not likely to carry the Radius toothbrush. I have lived in several larger cities and I did not find them locally. There are other local stores near you that may carry this brand. Whole Foods and Wild Oats are natural food stores that are retail suppliers. Some other natural markets, co-ops and pharmacies carry them. You may even find them at Bed, Bath & Beyond. They are also available at Amazon.com.

As seen in the specifications above, the Source toothbrush and the Intelligent toothbrush both feature disposable heads that affix to handles that last way, way beyond the lifespan of the head (the manufacturer says the handles last "forever.")

Radius toothbrushes and the packaging they come in are made in Kutztown, Pennsylvania in a 19th century mill that was restored in the 1980s to a state-of-the-art, high-tech factory. Only high quality materials are used, and each toothbrush is inspected.

The author has not received any freebies for this review. See the author's DISCLOSURE STATEMENT REGARDING COMPENSATION for this article.