3D printed toothbrush-sponge cleans entire mouth in 10 seconds

designboom.com

16 points·simonebrunozzi··11 comments

I am getting a 'too good to be true' buzz in my head as I read and watch that. It was interrupted briefly by the terrifying 3D render of a smiling 'user'. https://i.imgur.com/OjTHHdM.png

I'm wondering if there's some reason sponges like this aren't more popular... is it to do with the brushing motion which is meant to dislodge more food, and reach hard to reach places?

I’d imagine that thing to be an external breeding ground for bacteria once it’s taken out of the mouth. A toothbrush has a much better chance of drying in between uses.

Isn't flossing more important? That's where stuff gets stuck and acid breaches enamel - between the teeth. Does this sponge clean there?

I find water jets or oral irrigators to be even better. They get along the gum line while floss only gets between the teeth.

A tooth brush can also get the gum line.

My concern would be the lack of control. With a thin brush, you can usually tell where you have cleaned (if you pay attention), and not miss a spot.

Chewing this big sponge, I will not be confident that I have reached everywhere. There could be a systematic error (say a slight, unusual curve on one tooth) that leaves a spot chronically unclean without me realizing it.

No handle? Might as well chew on a steel scrubbie.

Look at a toilet brush. Bristles all around, nice big handle...

Most toilet bowls do not have teeth.

I don't see how this won't push a lot of plaque into the gums overlapping the teeth.

There is also a whole-mouth U-shaped “autobrush” which seems to be doing a decent job.

dentists don't like this type of innovation...

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