Unveiling 2024: Exploring the cutting-edge trends and innovations in oral care

25 Jan 2024

If looking and feeling fantastic is one of your goals for 2024, then good oral health is non-negotiable.

Source: Supplied.

And the good news is that exciting innovations are making personal oral care easier today than ever before. Here’s what we found:

Brushes get smart: The advent of smart toothbrushes, like the Oclean X Pro Digital (recently launched in SA), marks a significant shift in personal oral care. Designed with colour screens and built-in sensors, these intelligent brushes evaluate brushing technique, offering insights into duration, pressure and any overlooked areas.

Most smart brushes conveniently connect with your smartphone via Bluetooth, while the very latest harness Wi-Fi.

According to Dirna Grobbelaar, Ivohealth's oral hygiene advisor, smart toothbrushes enable patients to improve their brushing technique and elevate their oral-care routine.

“While smart brushes can’t physically improve your brushing, they motivate and encourage you to achieve better oral hygiene and let you know when you are doing it incorrectly.”

And smart toothbrushes can go beyond just brushing. Some are equipped with tongue cleaners or other features. The cutting-edge Oclean X Ultra even gives a daily weather forecast on its colour touchscreen!

The AI transformation: Artificial intelligence (AI) is making significant inroads in most areas of life. At the recent Global Symposium on AI and Dentistry, William Giannobile, Dean of Harvard School of Dental Medicine, highlighted AI’s potential to revolutionise oral healthcare. Dentists are increasingly using AI to diagnose diseases and develop treatment plans.

AI is also being integrated into at-home oral-care tools. The Oclean X Ultra, for instance, employs AI-powered voice guidance and bone-conduction soundwave technology to function as a personal oral-care coach, telling you how to improve angle, speed and pressure as you brush.

Design trends: The fundamental shape of the toothbrush has been unchanged for centuries. Now, technology is driving a renaissance with innovative designs like Balene, a toothbrush with a double-sided, rotating head that cleans the inside and the outside of the teeth, at the same time.

“Balene is a total game changer for people who struggle to brush correctly because of disabilities or other issues,” explains dentist Stephné Fenwick.

Materials are also evolving. Instead of traditional nylon, Balene features antibacterial Tyflex® bristles which last twice as long. Oclean opts for polished TPEE which is soft, flexible and more hygienic than nylon because it dries quicker.

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Inbetween and personal: People increasingly demand personalised products and services that address their specific problems, tastes and lifestyles. It’s the new norm in oral care, evident from the vast array of products on shelves.

Interdental care, once synonymous with floss, now includes multiple options to clean between the teeth; from soft rubber toothpicks like GUM Soft-Picks to compact interdental brushes and rechargeable oral irrigators.

For a smart solution, the Oclean W1 Smart Oral Irrigator connects to your smartphone, providing immediate feedback on any missed areas.

Oral care for a healthier future: Beyond aesthetics and fresh breath, good oral health profoundly impacts overall wellbeing. Poor oral health has recognised links with diabetes, Alzheimer’s, cardiovascular events (stroke and heart attacks), cancer and even adverse pregnancy outcomes. Taking good care of your mouth is a daily self-care habit that impacts your entire body.

With innovative, effective tools at your disposal, you can choose how you want to take charge of your oral health and embark on a healthier lifestyle throughout 2024 and beyond.