In the era of the Internet of Things (IoT), it was a just matter of time before the lowly toothbrush became a high-tech connected gadget. Surrey dentists are more than pleased with this toothbrush.
A recently announced Kickstarter entry claims to be the world’s most advanced toothbrush when it reaches the market. Dubbed as the Dentrii, it can map the contours of your mouth while recording the paths your toothbrush takes. Sensors note the pressure you exert on various areas and the companion smartphone app stores and allows you to send this data to your dentist for evaluation. For extra hygiene, it features single-use replaceable brush heads. The replaceable heads and use of the app are subscription based.
A competitor to the Dentrii is the now available Ara from Kolibree. It’s embedded with motion sensors, a 3D accelerometer, gyroscope, a Bluetooth-connected app, and inductive charging. With the data it gathers, the Ara’s tracking algorithm can provide visual recommendations to optimize your tooth brushing technique.
Perhaps the cheapest way to get into this technology-enabled toothbrush thing is the Bluetooth attachment for normal toothbrushes. Called the Brushlink, it clamps on to any toothbrush and boasts of real-time guidance via a smartphone app. And with that app comes connectivity with Brushlink dentist partners for personalized recommendations. Like other connected toothbrushes, it is water-resistant.
The rationale for these and other tech-enabled toothbrushes is, according to the dental industry, the non-renewable resource which is our teeth. Unlike other parts of the body which can regenerate, teeth decay over time and cannot be regrown – for now. This is why it is best to do proactive dental maintenance on nature’s gift instead of having the dentist chase those cavities. Or resort to last-gasp implants and dentures.
The global oral hygiene market is worth at least 35 billion U.S. dollars. With such a massive market, it’s not unexpected to see new and old players come in with innovative dental care products.
But what’s the motivation for using a smart toothbrush? In this data-driven world, people have become consumers of information, and knowing what’s going on with your body has become a huge business. One only has to look at the wide acceptance of FitBit, the Apple Watch, and other wearables to see this trend. Why not be conscious of the condition of your teeth, which is a non-renewable resource? These connected toothbrushes will certainly help you and your dentist formulate the best oral hygiene and monitoring program.
Thanks to the dentists at Proactive Dental Studio for sharing more about this electronic toothbrush.