Here’s a fun fact that will win you a bar bet: some electric toothbrushes have more computing power than the Apollo 11 guidance computer. The Apollo 11 computer had about 74 kilobytes of memory. Your Braun Oral-B has a tiny chip that somehow has more brain cells than a 1969 moon lander.
.webp)
Can You Take an Electric Toothbrush in Carry-On or Checked Luggage?
And yes, you can bring that moon-level tech on a plane without a permit. The TSA allows toothbrushes, even sonic ones that vibrate at 31,000 strokes per minute. That’s enough to simulate a miniature earthquake in your mouth. But it’s not enough to open an emergency exit.
Another weird detail: you can actually bring multiple electric toothbrushes. Planning a dental convention at your destination? Go nuts. TSA allows “personal care items” in bulk, as long as they don’t look suspicious. Just don’t wrap them in duct tape and call them “industrial scrubbers.”
The Charger Conundrum
Your toothbrush charger is also totally fine. Throw it in your bag. It’s just a plastic brick with a cord. But pro tip: don’t plug it into the airplane’s USB port to give your brush a mid-flight boost. The flight attendant will give you the look of death. The brush doesn’t need a charge at 35,000 feet.
Also, if your charger has a metal prong, make sure it’s not poking into your laptop. A live wire brushing against a MacBook is one surprise you don’t want at baggage claim.
