***UPDATED: December 2, 2014*** The folks at Beam Technologies are at it again, recently unveiling the latest in toothbrush technology. According to a Dr.Bicuspid.com article, the company strives to make each level of the dental service chain accessible and cost-effective, using their special toothbrush and iOS devices as their platform. Using the latest Apple technology, iPhone users can have the Beam app automatically open on their device as soon as they power up the Beam Brush. Users can then choose one of three options while brushing: a game using the toothbrush as a controller, an aggregated feed of popular social content from Instagram, YouTube, Vine, and more, or an interactive two-minute timer. Users can also complete challenges and earn stars that convert into real-world prizes. Automatic refills of replacement heads can also be arranged, so that new brush heads are shipped directly to their front door when they are needed. The Beam toothbrush is available in three colors: blue, pink, and chartreuse, and is available for an introductory price of $29.
***UPDATED: February 21, 2014*** The world is about the be introduced to the latest in Bluetooth technology, the “smart” toothbrush. Procter & Gamble Co will unveil the new toothbrush, being sold under P&G’s Oral-B brand, at the phone industry’s annual Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, according to a recent Reuters article. Personalized data and oral health advice will be sent directly to a person’s Smartphone in the hopes of improving brushing and overall oral health. The app will display brushing progress in real time, informing users when and where to move around their mouth. It will even warn if you’re brushing too hard or too soft. In clinical tests, use of the technology helped users extend their brushing times from just under a minute to just over 2 minutes, the recommended time for optimal oral health. The device is expected to be sold at the top end of the Oral-B electric toothbrush market, retailing for around $330.
Dental health has been in the news a lot lately, especially in terms of its importance to overall wellness. The word is out that by brushing your teeth regularly, flossing daily, and visiting your dentist semi-annually, you can maintain or achieve great personal health. It seems easy enough, but the truth is, most people don’t complete these tasks as well as they think. In fact, the average person only brushes their teeth for approximately 46 seconds. Most people know that dentists recommend brushing your teeth for at least two minutes, to ensure a thorough cleaning. If you are one of the many who has a hard time knowing when you’ve reached that time quota, don’t fret; there’s an app for that.
Thanks to Beam Technologies and their new toothbrush, the Beam Brush, users will be able to monitor their dental hygiene using an app on their smart device, according to a Los Angeles Times article, “Beam is a smartphone compatible….toothbrush?” Bluetooth features and sensors in the brush are activated when they make contact with a mouth, which then triggers a timer to alert you when your two minutes are up. The app tracks when and how long you brush your teeth over a period of time, which can allow you to check out your oral hygiene habits. And because the app can track up to four toothbrushes on one device, you can watch how your spouse or kid’s habits stack up too. It’ll even put the information in graphical form for easy analysis.
Developers of the technology are hoping that later versions of the app will also determine which spots of the mouth are receiving the most attention and which could use a little more love. They’re also planning on adding other features, such as a musical timer and social elements or gaming type achievements to add rewards for good brushing. The Beam Brush is supposed to be available to the public in early March and is expected to cost around $50, with the price of replacement heads at $3 apiece. Good dental habits have never been easier to attain.