TOOTHBRUSHES, TOOTHBRUSHES, AND MORE TOOTHBRUSHES

Beam me up, scotty

BY KIM MILLER, RDH, BSDH

The Beam Brush, set to launch this summer, is the first manual brush that monitors oral hygiene habits and uploads them to a smartphone. Sensors embedded in the brush report brushing time and frequency to an interface with an option to send the data to the hygienist before the next visit. Imagine never asking again, "How often do you brush?" I can certainly see how this data could be used during treatment planning and customized oral hygiene instructions. The interactive app has a two-minute timer display and plays any song on the phone during brushing. The app will issue an alert when it's time to change the brush head and even order a new brush head, if desired.

Several brushes can be monitored from the same app so families can compare statistics and interact. The app features a patient education section with professional content. Users can achieve oral hygiene milestones and participate in "Beam Goals" for promotions and incentives. Beam believes brushing should be fun, interactive, and profitable! Visit www.beamtoothbrush.com.

"THE FORCE IS STRONG" WITH GUM TOOTHBRUSHES

Little Star Wars fans will love GUM's new Lightsaber LED brushes featuring illumination in colors specific to each character's lightsaber -- blue for Anakin Skywalker, green for Yoda, and red for Darth Vader. How cool is that? The bristles are soft with an interdental cut to reach between teeth. Timed brushing lasts for two minutes, flashing for 60-second intervals (one minute maxillary, one minute mandibular).

The power brush, in Darth Vader or Captain Rex designs, has ultrasoft, oscillating bristles that massage gums while they clean the teeth. The suction cup base helps keep the brush head clean.

The manual toothbrush, sold in packages of two (Darth Vader and Anakin, or Yoda and Captain Rex), has a Dome Trim bristle design for effective plaque removal on tooth surfaces and below the gum line. The soft, no-slip grip thumb pad assists in correct placement and angulation.

The brushes in the photo above are: Lightsabers Anakin blue, Darth red and Yoda green. Rex and Darth spin brushes, followed by manual toothbrushes for Anakin, Rex, Darth, and Yoda.

And just in case (like RDH Editor Mark Hartley), you don't know who Captain Rex is, he was a clone trooper captain during the clone wars. To learn more about Rex or other star wars heroes visit Wookieepedia.com. To read more about Star Wars toothbrushes, visit www.gumbrand.com.

EMMI-DENT LAUNCHES 100% ULTRASONIC BRUSH

Developed by German engineers, the Emmi-Dent 6 Professional toothbrush utilizes ultrasound technology. Using ultrasound of only .² watts of power, it's safe for everyone, even those with pacemakers or other implanted devices.

An ultrasonic generator housed in the brush head channels the ultrasonic waves through the bristles directly to the recommended ultrasonic Emmi-Dent tooth cream, which maximizes the ultrasonic effect by creating microscopic bubbles. These bubbles penetrate the gaps between teeth and around brackets. This technology is safe around implants, crowns, and bridgework. The tooth cream has no "lubricating substances" (RDAs), which makes it a superior medium to conduct the ultrasonic waves.

I have been using this brush for about four weeks, and it's doing a great job. The bristles don't perform the work; it's the ultrasonic waves that do the job, stimulating the body's healing mechanism, improving pH, stimulating collagen, elastin synthesis, and tightening tissue from the inside out. There is no mechanical pressure or abrasion occurring, making this a great device for those with recession and gum disease. The suggested retail price is $189, but you can try it for only $49.95 by emailing Sabrina at [email protected] and mentioning this column. This special offer is good for one toothbrush per hygienist through Aug. 10th.

As always, email me with your comments or suggestions of products to review at [email protected]. RDH