Oral B to launch smartphone-activated toothbrush

20 Feb 2014

In an interesting combination of technologies, health product company Proctor and Gamble is to launch its first smartphone-connected toothbrush at this month’s Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain.

Under its brand name Oral B, the new toothbrush is expected to launch in June. The device is aiming to give users the chance to improve their brushing and oral hygiene.

Reuters reported the toothbrush will feature a Bluetooth (to the joy of pun-lovers everywhere) 4.0 link, which connects to a smartphone app that can then be programmed with the help of that person’s dentist who can then advise his or her patient on spots he or she is missing during brushing and advise on better brushing techniques.

The toothbrush has already been used in a series of tests and the findings reveal that the time users spent brushing their teeth increased from an average of less than a minute to a little more than two minutes.

The toothbrush will be showcased in the epicentre of mobile phone development, the Mobile World Congress, from 24-27 February.

Speaking to Reuters, Oral B’s global associate director, Michael Cohen-Dumani, said this technology is going to be welcome news to dentists who see it as a great opportunity.

“Dentists always tell us, ‘People do a great job in the week before they come to visit us and in the week after they visit us. But nothing can hide the fact that when we look inside the mouth we can see all the areas they miss’.”

As expected, the Oral B toothbrush won’t exactly be cheap, with the euro price expected to come in at €219.

Colm Gorey was a senior journalist with Silicon Republic

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