This hermetic secrecy is how Allure beauty director Sarah Kinonen and I recently found ourselves in the bathroom of a suite in the Aman hotel on New York’s Fifth Avenue, brushing our teeth while members of the Dyson public relations team looked on. If we wanted to test this next-level toothbrush, our options were this or, to accommodate a longer testing period, another possibility was floated at some point: An Allure editor could visit Dyson’s Soho offices every morning and evening for a couple of weeks and brush their teeth there, leaving the CameraJet on the premises at all times. We landed on the hotel bathroom meeting.
After filling our brushes with mouthwash from docking station reservoirs, Sarah and I brushed our teeth side-by-side (a first for both of us professionally). And we agreed: This toothbrush is a joy to use—fun even—and our teeth felt pristine after two minutes with it. It’s lighter that we expected (just over eight ounces, or a roll of quarters), and quieter than our current electric toothbrushes and certainly than any water flosser either of us has used.
The jet makes a slight pfft sound when it sprays into each gap, but the sensation was pleasant. I had no issues with fluid overflow in my mouth, though Sarah did have a bit of drooling (our gallery of observers said this was very normal for a first-timer). Overall, the experience was dry; I would even feel comfortable using the CameraJet after applying my makeup—something I’d definitely avoid with other water flossers. Sarah and I were both impressed that the fluid flossing continues not only when the handle is horizontal but even when it’s inverted. (The reservoir is pressure-controlled so it eliminates all air pockets and will push out fluid in any orientation.) I did have an issue when cleaning my inside lower teeth—after hitting all of my gaps perfectly, the jet stopped firing. One of the people standing behind me in the bathroom said this can happen because it gets so dark in that area and suggested I open my mouth a bit. The problem was solved.
The CameraJet lets you floss and brush simultaneously, just brush (with the option of manually triggering the jet), or just floss. Sarah and I brush-flossed past the two-minute mark, and neither of us depleted our mouthwash supply. I also recently tested another brushing-fluid-flossing hybrid, the Soocas NEOS II Ultra Electric Toothbrush, which holds 1.7 ounces in its handle. It flosses for 80 seconds (after you complete two minutes of brushing). When held horizontally, however, it can’t draw from a low reservoir, so I ran out of water.
This device is an impressive feat of engineering, and we were impressed when we experienced it in action. But based on the Allure staff’s (combined) 300-ish seconds with this device, we can’t tell you that the CameraJet is ultimately more effective than using a far cheaper electric toothbrush and a string of floss.
