Wireless Technology Hits Oral Care

Press release October 14, 2009

Wireless Technology Hits Oral Care

It’s been used for cellphones, car kits and personal diaries and now toothbrushes are the latest gadgets to come equipped with wireless technology.

Featuring customised settings, a clock timer and a wireless interactive display the Oral-B Triumph with SmartGuide power toothbrush also features oscillating-rotating technology to surround individual teeth and remove 2x more plaque than manual toothbrushes between each tooth and the gumline.

The new powerbrush is embedded with microchips which track your brushing technique and send a signal wirelessly to the SmartGuide remote LCD display screen which provides while-you-brush real-time feedback.

The SmartGuide lets you know if you’re applying too much pressure, have cleaned one particular area enough and when you’ve reached the dentist-recommended 2 minutes. It guides you to change your mouth quadrant every 30 seconds, tells you when to replace the brush and even rewards you with a smiley face on the LCD screen for your efforts!

With four settings to choose from, the Oral-B Triumph with SmartGuide gives you a personalised teeth cleaning experience. Select the Clean mode for superior mouth cleaning or opt for the Soft function which is gentle enough for even the most sensitive areas.

Those wanting an extraordinary polish or superior whitening can choose the Polish setting - while the Massage mode is for gently stimulating your gums.

Users of the Oral-B Triumph with SmartGuide have been found to be up to five times more likely to brush for the dental recommended two minutes twice a day than with a regular manual toothbrush.

Kiwi dentist Dr Hisham Abdalla, from Auckland’s Laser Lifecare Institute, says he welcomes the addition of the timer as part of the SmartGuide function because so many of us fail to brush our teeth for long enough.

“It’s actually much more common than we think. People don’t look at their watch or clock in the bathroom and can’t really quantify two minutes. Now they have the technology to give their teeth a thorough clean.”

Dr Abdalla says it’s important to stick to the two minutes because on average we have 28 (maximum 32) teeth. Each tooth has four surfaces that become coated with a sticky plaque biofilm. Biofilm is a sticky layer of bacteria and food debris that also builds up on the tongue, gum and cheeks.

The Oral-B Triumph has oscillating-rotating technology, surrounding each tooth to gently remove plaque between each tooth and along the gum line.

Dr Abdalla says bacteria that grow around and under the gum line can cause bad breath, gum and bone disease (bleeding gums and loose teeth).

“The gum line is a very critical part of the mouth to clean as well and we must make sure that we remove the biofilm from the gumline by ensuring we brush properly.

“Power brushes are more efficient and easier to use correctly I like to give my ‘guests’ the analogy of a car versus a bicycle. While they are both vehicles, one will get you much further in the same period of time because its engine driven,” he says.

Dr Abdalla says he has been using and recommending Oral-B toothbrushes for many years and is excited by the technology behind the Oral-B Triumph SmartGuide.

Rated ‘No 1’ in Which? Magazine
The Oral-B Triumph handle was named as the highest scoring electric toothbrush by independent consumer magazine Which? (UK December, 2007). The Oral-B Triumph handle underwent vigorous product testing and was evaluated on brushing performance, ease of use, features and battery life to outscore sixteen other brushes.

How the SmartGuide Works
The Oral-B Triumph with SmartGuide brush head, handle and visual display unit work together to provide instant interactive feedback. The brush head and handle are embedded with microchips. The handle communicates with the wireless display unit to help guide you to each quadrant of the mouth and signal when you are brushing too hard.

The Brush Head
The Oral-B Triumph employs proven oscillating-rotating technology, surrounding each tooth to gently remove plaque between each tooth and along the gum line. An independent review concluded that power toothbrushes with oscillating-rotating technology were shown to be consistently better at removing plaque than manual tooth brushing.*

With 40,000 in-and-out pulsations per minute plaque is gently loosened. In addition, 8,800 back and forth oscillations per minute sweep plaque away.

The SmartGuide encourages you to brush thoroughly, gently and for the dental-recommended two minutes. It’s no wonder Oral-B is the brand more dentists use themselves worldwide.

The Oral-B Triumph with SmartGuide is available for RRP $209.99. For stockists phone 0800 441 058.

ENDS

Notes to editors:
* 2005 Cochrane Collaboration Review www.cochrane.org

Dr Hisham Abdalla - Biography
Dr Hisham Abdalla is a member of the NZDA and is known for his pioneering ideas, strong motivation and passion for research and knowledge. He has been nominated for a number of prestigious awards including NZDA Young Dentist of the Year in 2005 and in 2006 and represented New Zealand as a finalist at the Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons Young Lecturer of the Year Award.

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