Innovative new toothbrush breaks ground for better dental hygiene

Dr Tze-chuen Ng, an honorary associate professor at the university’s Faculty of Dentistry, and Prof. Lijian Jin, Clinical Professor in Periodontology also at the faculty, designed the NJ toothbrush to target all dental surfaces, particularly interdental, retromolar and submarginal spaces. They used computer mapping to develop six different types of target-specific bristles to reach all dentogingival surfaces, each group of bristles being set at a specific angle and length according to each anatomical feature.

The free-rotating brush head couples over the upper and lower dental arches while the bristles follow above the arch; this balances the force and minimises any abrasion. The head fits over the dentition with collapsible, bilateral V-shaped wings that automatically adjust to the various widths of the teeth.  Because the head is of a ball and socket design, the toothbrush can be held freely in the hand, continuously brushing from one side of the mouth to the other without stopping, thus making use easier for people with limited hand dexterity. The NJ toothbrush produces ultrasonic vibrations on the tooth surfaces from each of the bristles to dislodge plaque and remove biofilm.

Ng, also a notable designer of precision tools for space exploration, described their collaborative design as “a breakthrough in dental health care”. In light of the prevalence of periodontal disease, Ng and Jin hope this invention could prevent periodontitis as it greatly reduces improper brushing.

US and international patent applications for the NJ toothbrush have been filed, and the developers are currently in talks with toothbrush companies to market their new product.

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