Technology Finally Solved Brushing Your Teeth

Hint: It's not about the paste

July 27, 2016 9:00 am

If you believe my dentist, switching to a cheap, stupid electric toothbrush improved the health of my teeth (and poor, swollen gums) by a hundredfold.

With a smart toothbrush…I might not need that dentist anymore at all.

Philips Sonicare’s just-released FlexCare Platinum Connected is a “connected power toothbrush for adults” that points out spots you missed and where you used excessive brushing pressure — in real time.

Using something called Smart Sensor technology (a combo of location, pressure and scrubbing sensors), Bluetooth and an app, the FlexCare creates a 3D Mouth Map to show what you did right and what you missed during your morning/evening tooth-scrubbing ritual. The app also tells you when to change your brush head, based on usage.

Of course, you can also collect and share data (with your dentist, not the world at large…please), track progress and utilize “personalized coaching, tips and alerts.” Fun facts: The brush completes 31,000 strokes per minute and features three intensity modes.

Philips Sonicare FlexCare Platinum Connected is available now for $199. The product is also available with a specialized UV sanitizer for cleaning brush heads for $219.

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