Philips' New Bluetooth-Enabled Sonicare Toothbrush Connects to Your iPhone

Philips today announced the launch of the Philips Sonicare Flexcare Platinum Connected toothbrush, the company's first brush that includes Bluetooth connectivity and connects to an iPhone to track brushing habits.

The Flexcare Platinum Connected toothbrush includes "Smart Sensor technology" to track specific brushing locations in the mouth, making sure all teeth get proper attention. It also includes scrubbing and pressure alerts to keep users from brushing too hard, something that can lead to gum deterioration, and there's a timer and a monitor to let you know when to replace a brush head.

Sonicare is releasing an app alongside the toothbrush, which will deliver information on brushing habits and let users know the areas that need more attention through a "Touch Up" feature and a personalized 3D Mouth Map.

Sonicare will ship the Flexcare Platinum Connected toothbrush with the AdaptiveClean brush head, one of its newer brush heads featuring flexible rubberized sides and a larger size for four times more surface contact and better plaque removal.

Like all Sonicare brushes, the Flexcare Platinum Connected features several brushing modes, including Clean (standard two minute mode), White (for a quick polish) and DeepClean (a three minute clean), plus different intensity settings.

Philips competitor Oral-B has been offering a line of adult Bluetooth-connected toothbrushes since early in 2015, so Sonicare is late to the connected brushing game with the Flexcare Platinum Connected. Sonicare has, however, been selling a Bluetooth-connected kids toothbrush since late 2015.

Sonicare plans to begin selling the new Bluetooth-connected toothbrush for $199 starting in mid-July.