Technological growth is at an all-time high. It is a topic we’ve covered previously, but it’s all too relevant to explore the rate of technological growth and what it has allowed us to create. It seems newer tech-focused dental products, like the electric toothbrush, have greatly increased our obsession with at-home oral care but has also paved the way for many other similar oral care products as well. A quick analogy can really show the rate that technology is developing. The television, for example, was first created in the late 1920s. It was groundbreaking for the time, echoing to a future laden with televisions in almost every household.
Much later down the line – the internet. Founded as the World Wide Web by computer scientist Tim Berners-Lee (History.com) in 1990, this was almost seven decades later. After the era of the internet began to flourish many new things started happening. Only two years after this, the first functioning smartphone was introduced (the term smartphone only coined in 1995 – Business Insider). 64 years compared with a mere two years is astounding, and it really demonstrates the rate which we are currently developing at.
Oral Care and Technology
Technology doesn’t just help dentists in a professional setting (which we have discussed on Dentistry.co.uk), but it’s bringing choice to consumers and their oral self-care. The long-standing debate surrounding manual or electric toothbrushes is a good place to start. The market for electronic toothbrushes is expanding by the day. It’s clearly a thriving business, meaning consumers do actually want to purchase these kinds of products and for good reason.
Traditional manual brushes are proven to be incredibly effective for keeping teeth shining, even before electric toothbrushes. But the convenience and effectiveness of a self-oscillating, or self-vibrating, toothbrushes cannot be understated. It’s because of that convenience that the electric toothbrush market is booming. It’s working so well that there are even different tiers of electric toothbrushes that consumers can choose from.
The rise of AI for electric toothbrushes
What’s even more interesting is the technology currently at our disposal. It’s allowing us to explore AI and the way that this can possibly integrate with at-home oral care. In a recent article written by Lauren Goode for Wired, she explored the growing popularity of advanced tech when it comes to toothbrushes and other dental products. As if you didn’t think electric toothbrushes could possibly get any better, Goode talks about how Oral B® are currently using advanced AI technology in their newest toothbrushes, such as the GeniusX and their, yet to release, iO premium toothbrush.
She explains her short experience with the iO test toothbrush left her ‘suddenly disgusted’ by parts of her teeth. It turns out the advanced, self-learning toothbrush can do another anything from making sure you’re brushing for a full 2 minutes to calculating how much of the surfaces of your teeth are being brushed. For Goode, she found she was only brushing 38 per cent of the inside surfaces of her teeth.
Another important point is the skyrocketing prices that accompany these kinds of advanced-tech toothbrushes. We are getting more effective with our technology, but this is a double-edged sword. Prices for these kinds of products can sometimes be way out-of-reach for the average consumer, with prices soaring into $200+ for some tech-heavy plaque fighters.
Is it necessary?
We live in a world where we have choices of manual toothbrushes, mid-range electric toothbrushes, and premium-range AI electric toothbrushes made by Oral B. But when does it stop becoming necessary? In all intents and purposes, smart-tech can be very exciting and pleasing to the consumers. But they can only be enjoyed by those who have access to them. They are by no means essential. Many dentists, hygienist, and other experts recommend that keeping it simple can be just as effective and far more cost-effective. Making sure you are following recommended techniques and always using a fluoride-based toothpaste is crucial when using a manual toothbrush. This can create the same results as any electric version – it just means you’ll have to but the effort in yourself.
Unsure about your dental health? Call your nearest Synergy Dental Clinic and we’ll be happy to help.