[Tom911]

I’ve been using a basic metal dental pick from the drugstore for a while. Saw the DappSmile and wondering if the ultrasonic tips actually do anything different for tartar or if it’s just a fancy version of what I already have. Not expecting dentist results, just curious if it’s worth switching. Anyone compare the two?

[Sara Beast]

I went down this rabbit hole when I was deciding between a plain metal pick and something with vibration. From what I gathered, the ultrasonic part isn’t magic, it’s more that the tip vibrates so you’re not pushing and scraping as hard with your hand. That appeals to me because I always feel like I’m digging too aggressively with the basic pick. The tradeoff I kept seeing is that it still can’t get under the gumline, so anything serious is a dentist thing anyway. I’m leaning toward trying it for surface stuff and just keeping my expectations low. Curious how loud it actually is though, that’s the part nobody seems to mention.

[Ryan__T]

The vibration helps mainly with soft buildup, not the hard stuff. A plain pick does basically the same job on visible tartar if you’re patient with it. I don’t think it’s worth switching unless your hands cramp up using the manual one.

[Pete Tilbrook]

Mine actually gets the coffee stains off way better than my old metal pick ever did. The vibration seems to lift that surface stuff without me scraping so hard, which is the main reason I kept using it. Tartar still needs a light touch but the staining difference was obvious after a week.

[Sam Writes]

I don’t think the vibration does much. I borrowed one for a couple weeks and still had to scrape the same spots on my lower teeth the same way as my old pick. The tips felt a bit nicer to hold, but the actual cleaning part was basically the same for me.

[RonWeek]

I have the DappSmile and used a cheap metal pick before that. The biggest difference for me is actually the storage and charging side of it, since the little case keeps everything together in a drawer instead of losing tips everywhere. Cleaning wise it does fine for the stuff I can see, but I still book a real cleaning once a year anyway.

[Emma__L]

I still keep my old metal pick in the drawer for the really stubborn bits. The DappSmile is nicer in hand and I like not having to press as hard, but I reach for whichever one is closer. Not exactly a scientific comparison.

[Mike in NYC]

I had a different experience than what you’re describing with the drugstore pick. Mine wasn’t even about tartar really. The thing that surprised me was how much easier it got around my back molars where I could never see what I was doing. The little light on the DappSmile actually made a difference for me there, not because it cleans better but because I could finally tell if I was on the right spot or just poking around blind. With my old pick I was basically guessing half the time.

That said I still don’t think it does anything a metal pick can’t do. It’s more about me being able to use it properly. The vibration is kind of a whatever thing for me honestly, I barely notice it doing much. It’s the visibility and the shape of the tips that made it click for me.

If your old pick is working fine for you and you can see what you’re doing, I don’t know that switching is some big upgrade. For me it was less about the tool being fancy and more about me being able to aim the thing. Worth mentioning since nobody else brought up the visibility part.

[Linda Morris]

I kind of disagree with the idea that a plain pick does the same job if you’re just patient with it. I used one of those drugstore picks for years and patience wasn’t the problem, my hand would cramp up after a few minutes of scraping the same spots near my gumline. Switched to a vibrating one last spring and the motion does a lot of the work for you, so I can actually get through both sides of my mouth without my fingers aching. It’s not that it magically dissolves everything, I still go over the stubborn bits, but the pressing is way less. That alone made it worth it for me. If someone’s fine with the elbow grease then sure, save your money, but I wouldn’t call the vibration just a gimmick either.

[Tom in NYC]

Just another vibrating tooth scraper.

[Lisa Hydrow]

Mine actually gets the tartar my old pick couldn’t.

[Chloe M.]

I tried a DappSmile after using a plain metal pick for years, and for me the ultrasonic tip didn’t magically scrape off the hard stuff better. What it did do was make the whole thing less of a battle. The vibration kind of loosens things so I’m not digging at my teeth with the same force, and I noticed way less gum soreness after. My old pick got the job done but I always felt like I was chiseling away. The DappSmile feels more like it’s nudging stuff loose. That said, it’s not like it found tartar my pick somehow missed. If you already have a technique that works and you’re not bothered by the pressure, I don’t think it’s some huge upgrade in cleaning power. It’s more about the experience being gentler and easier to control. Worth switching? Only if the scraping part is what annoys you.

[Jen M87]

I don’t own either, but my sister has the DappSmile and I’ve watched her use it a couple times. It’s definitely more of a buzzing sensation than a scraping one, which surprised me. She says it’s gentler on her gums than her old pick was. Whether that’s worth the price is up to you.

[Riley1]

I don’t think the ultrasonic part is really about scraping power. I had a basic metal pick and yeah, if I sat there chipping away long enough it would eventually pop some tartar off. Got a DappSmile mainly because my hands would cramp up trying to keep steady pressure with the manual one. The buzzing tip does the work for you so you’re basically just guiding it along the tooth instead of pushing hard. Took me a bit to stop pressing like I did with the metal pick since that just made my gums angry. For light stuff near the gumline it’s less of a fight. The hard chunks still need the same patience either way. So it’s not a different job, just a different feel in your hand.

[Jenny__M]

I think the honest answer is it depends what you’re trying to remove. Mine sits in a drawer most of the time now and I just use the plain pick for the easy stuff near the gumline. The DappSmile is nicer to hold and the light helps, but it’s not some huge upgrade for me.

[Eli]

I don’t buy the idea that it’s just a fancy version of a metal pick. The vibration does something different than my hand ever did, especially on the flat front teeth where I could never get a good angle with the pick. It’s not magic on the really stuck stuff, but it’s not the same tool either.

[Jordan Writes]

A metal pick only does what your hand does, which is scrape. The DappSmile tips vibrate, so they knock stuff loose instead of you having to chip at it forever. That’s a real difference, not just a fancier handle. I’ve had mine about four months and I still reach for it over the old pick.

[Tom911]

Fair enough. I’ll keep mine around for the occasional touch up but I’m not ditching the regular cleanings or anything. Appreciate the input.

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