--- title: Oral-B brush head types, explained description: CrossAction, FlossAction, 3D White, Pro GumCare and the rest, in Oral-B's own words, with what each one is actually for and which claims carry a footnote. source: https://oohunt.com/blog/oral-b-brush-head-types published: 2026-10-23 modified: 2026-10-23 author: Oohunt Deal Desk site: Oohunt disclosure: Product links are Amazon affiliate links. testing: None. This guide makes no hands-on testing claim. Factual claims are attributed to named manufacturer sources and linked inline. --- # Oral-B brush head types, explained [Oohunt Deal Desk](https://oohunt.com/how-we-choose-deals) · Buying guides · October 23, 2026 · 7 min read As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases made through links on this page. **Oral-B sells about a dozen head types, and on the round fitting they all fit the same handles.** So the name on the packet is never about compatibility, it is about bristles: angled, extra soft, a polishing cup, rubber tips aimed between the teeth. Below is every head [Oral-B lists](https://oralb.com/en-us/which-replacement-brush-head-fits-my-oral-b-toothbrush/), in its own words, with what that actually means for your bathroom. One rule before the table, because it is the only fit question that matters here: the round heads fit every Oral-B electric handle except iO and Pulsonic, and iO heads fit iO handles only. If you are not sure which handle you have, [the fit guide](https://oohunt.com/blog/replacement-toothbrush-heads) works through identifying it. ## The round heads Every one of these clicks onto the same handles, so you can switch between them at any replacement without changing anything else. The middle column is Oral-B’s own claim, quoted; the right-hand column is ours. ## The iO heads The iO range uses a magnetic fitting of its own, and Oral-B describes both of its heads as compatible with iO handles only. If your handle has a round screen on the front, this is your whole list. - **iO Ultimate Clean .** The everyday iO head . - **iO Gentle Care .** The soft iO head, for sensitive teeth and gums . ## Two claims worth reading twice **CrossAction’s 100% more plaque.**Oral-B’s own footnote says the comparison is against a regular manual toothbrush. That makes it a statement about powered brushing in general, not a reason to pick CrossAction over another Oral-B head, and no figure anywhere compares the round heads with each other. **FlossAction’s interdental clean.** The same page footnotes it with the words that it does not replace flossing. Rubber bristles reach the outside of the gap; they do not pass between the teeth. Neither point makes the heads bad. They are the two places where the packet reads stronger than the small print, which is worth knowing before you pay more for a name. ## So which one should you buy? If you have a specific reason, the list above gives you the match: braces take Ortho, crowns and bridges take Interproximal Clean, sore gums take Sensitive Gum Care or Pro GumCare, coffee staining takes 3D White. Those are the cases where the head type is doing real work. Without one of those, the honest answer is that the difference between a worn head and a fresh head is larger than the difference between any two of these designs. The ADA says replace every three to four months, or sooner once the bristles are matted or frayed, so the useful question is which pack size gets you through a year without running out. The signs a head is finished are in [how often to replace your toothbrush](https://oohunt.com/blog/how-often-to-replace-toothbrush). And if you are weighing Oral-B against Sonicare rather than choosing between Oral-B heads, that is a different comparison: [sonic versus oscillating](https://oohunt.com/blog/sonic-vs-oscillating-toothbrush) covers what the two mechanisms do, and [Sonicare brush head types](https://oohunt.com/blog/sonicare-brush-head-types) is the other half of this page. ## A note on third-party heads Packets of twenty generic round heads exist for every type above, and we have no way to tell a good one from a bad one, because bristle quality and how well a head seats are not things a listing can prove. Every pick below is Oral-B’s own. ## Oral-B heads by type Prices change often, so check the current one on Amazon. What we would buy (4) Affiliate links - [Oral-B CrossAction replacement heads, 4-pack](https://oohunt.com/out/B07MH9CRDF?p=blog-oral-b-head-types): The everyday round head, and four is a year for one person at three months each. - [Oral-B FlossAction replacement heads, 5-pack](https://oohunt.com/out/B07Y8YPMCV?p=blog-oral-b-head-types): The one with rubber bristles aimed between the teeth, which Oral-B says does not replace flossing. - [Oral-B iO Ultimate Clean replacement heads, 2-pack](https://oohunt.com/out/B088CH8J8Y?p=blog-oral-b-head-types): The everyday iO head. An iO handle takes none of the round heads above. - [Oral-B iO Gentle Care replacement heads, 2-pack](https://oohunt.com/out/B088CJ143C?p=blog-oral-b-head-types): The soft option on the iO fitting, for sensitive teeth or gums that bleed easily. No prices or star ratings here. Prices change daily and we do not track them, so Amazon shows you the current one. Nothing on this list has been tested. ## Common questions ### What is the difference between Oral-B brush heads? The bristles, not the fitting. Every round head clicks onto the same handles, so the choice is about bristle shape: CrossAction angles them, Sensitive Gum Care makes them extra soft, 3D White adds a polishing cup, FlossAction adds rubber bristles aimed between the teeth. ### Which Oral-B head is best for everyday use? Oral-B positions CrossAction as its everyday head and Precision Clean as the one for beginners, and neither it nor the ADA ranks head designs against each other. The practical answer is the one you will replace on time, which usually means the one sold in the pack size you want. ### Does CrossAction really remove 100% more plaque? That is Oral-B's claim, and its own footnote says the comparison is against a regular manual toothbrush, not against another Oral-B head. Read it as powered versus manual, which is a different question from which head to buy. ### Does FlossAction replace flossing? No, and Oral-B says so itself. The head's claim of a superior interdental clean carries a footnote stating it does not replace flossing. ### Which Oral-B head is best for sensitive gums? Oral-B makes two for that: Sensitive Gum Care, described as extra soft bristles for sensitive gums, and Pro GumCare, described as ultra-thin bristles that are tough on plaque while gentle on gums. On an iO handle the equivalent is iO Gentle Care. ### Can you mix different Oral-B head types on one handle? Yes, for the round heads. They all fit the same handles, so two people sharing a brush can each use a different head, and you can switch types between replacements without changing anything else. --- Travelling with the handle has its own rules: [can you bring an electric toothbrush on a plane](https://oohunt.com/blog/electric-toothbrush-on-a-plane). 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