Few things could be as easy as cleaning your teeth – or so you’d think.
Apply toothpaste to brush, stick brush in mouth, give the old pearly whites a good scrub, then rinse.
It seems, however, that many of us are not doing it properly, for example not spending long enough on the task or brushing too hard.
Now help is at hand for the problem you never knew existed, in the unlikely shape of your smartphone.
Dental hygiene company Oral-B has invented a toothbrush that sends information to your phone as you brush.
Your phone then displays messages that tell you how you’re doing and suggests improvements.
The SmartSeries electric brush links to your iPhone or Android device via Bluetooth wireless technology, with an app allowing you to follow instructions on the screen.
If you brush too hard, the phone receives signals from the brush and displays an alert to prevent you from damaging your gums.
The phone also times your brush using a virtual stopwatch – experts say many of us do not brush for the recommended two minutes.
At the end of the session, the smartphone displays a summary of how well you brushed your teeth – with tips on what you could do better next time. The app can even be personalised with the help of a dentist, who may advise a user to pay more attention to certain areas of the mouth.
Manufacturer Procter & Gamble launched the £199 brush this week and it is expected to go on in June.
