It’s easy to agree that no one like going to the dentist, isn’t it? After all, it’s rarely a soothing experience, what with the scraping, whining drills, and all that grinding. Even so, dentists have been telling us for years that if we take better care of our teeth, those trips will be less stressful, and today’s smart toothbrushes and devices seek to make it easier than ever. Oral B is one of the most well-known names in toothbrush technology, and as part of CES 2022, the company introduced new brushes as well as a new gadget that’s similar to having a dentist insert a connected periscope into your mouth.
Oral B introduced the new Oral B iO10, as well as two more affordable brushes, the iO4 and iO5.
The Oral B iO10 is a rechargeable electric toothbrush that comes with an accompanying app that gives real-time insights and “live coaching” straight on the iOSense Charger. This shows how much time you spent brushing, how hard you brushed, and how well you covered all of your teeth. This is a bit of a change because it eliminates the need to bring your phone into the bathroom, which many people thought to be a little too connected. Even so, after you’re through, your brushing data syncs to the Oral-B app, giving you a complete report. Pricing has not yet been announced, although the iO9, for example, retails for around $299.
The other two brushes in the series, the iO4 and iO5, use the same technology but with apparently less bells and whistles, though the company’s CES press release doesn’t specify what’s lacking. Oral B claims that there are several brushing modes, as well as a little digital display screen on the brush handle and “rainbow celebration lights,” so you can party like it’s 1999 after you’re finished brushing.
Both cheap brushes will be available in a few hues, including white, black, pink, blue, and lavender, for less than $100.
Oral-B has announced a partnership with Grin, a “teledentistry platform” that would connect you with professional consultations on the status of your chomper.
Grin is a little scope that hooks onto any smartphone and allows an orthodontist to capture high-resolution photographs of your mouth and send them to any provider for an at-home consultation. According to the press release, this means dentists and orthodontists can “transition patient check-ins from in-office to remote, including monitoring teeth mobility, gum health, and oral hygiene.” This is no easy feat, given that we are still dealing with pandemic preparation and figuring out how to perform ordinary activities digitally. According to Oral-B, the Grin collaboration allows orthodontists to virtually make recommendations, which is especially important for children, because spotting and repairing problems early can help prevent longer treatments or unnecessary office visits. More information will be released in the coming months.