ENGLISH
ESPAÑOL
***UPDATED: February 26, 2016*** Oral-B just released their new ‘Genius’ toothbrush, and it could change the way we all brush our teeth. The brush uses “Position Detection Technology,” which incorporates a sensor in the brush and the camera on your smartphone. According to a recent article from Tech Worm, users mount their smartphone in a holder on the mirror and open the Oral-B app. After positioning their face in front of the front-facing camera on the phone, they begin to brush. Motion sensors in the brush help to detect which areas of the mouth are being cleaned. Users receive instant feedback from the app, telling them which areas need more attention and with what pressure they’re brushing. The toothbrush uses Oral-B oscillating-rotating-pulsating tech to help clean better, and features triple pressure sensor technology, which is supposed to help protect gums from overaggressive brushing. With this kind of toothbrush technology available, there’s really no excuse for not brushing correctly. Currently, there is no word on pricing of the Oral-B Genius, but it is expected to be available in select markets starting in July.
If we spent just a fraction of the time we spend on our phones, brushing our teeth, we’d see a significant improvement in the oral health epidemic that’s plaguing the world. It just takes two minutes, twice a day to effectively brush your teeth and prevent tooth decay, but millions find it difficult to make it happen. Yet many of us have no problem spending hours a day scrolling through countless selfies and memes in an effort to stay “connected.” Fortunately, some tech-savvy, oral health loving inventor came up with a fantastic idea to bring the beloved smartphone onboard to help fight the battle against oral disease. The app, Brush DJ, was launched in an effort to make teeth brushing fun for kids, ideally helping to establish good oral health habits early on, which could have long term benefits on oral health worldwide.
The optimum time for brushing teeth is two minutes, and “Brush DJ” just happens to play music for just that long. Songs are taken from a playlist or randomly from the user’s device or cloud. The app also reminds users to brush twice a day, use a mouthwash at other non-brushing times of the day, switch out toothbrushes every three months, and even sets alerts for dental appointments. And according to a recent news article, a British Dental Journal study found the app has been successful in their mission.
“The results of our study indicate that apps such as Brush DJ are beneficial to users and open the way for further research to extend their use and effectiveness,” stated Ben Underwood, lead researcher from Plymouth University Peninsula Schools of Medicine and Dentistry in England.
Research showed that 70% of respondents using the app reported that their teeth felt cleaner and 88% said that Brush DJ has motivated them to brush their teeth for longer. The research team also concluded that in addition to improving motivation for young people to care for their teeth, the app Brush DJ also has the potential to help convey important oral health messages and information to the masses. The app, which is free and does not include any in-app purchases, was launched on the Apple App Store at the end of 2011 and to date, has been downloaded on nearly 200,000 devices in 188 countries.
