A new toothbrush with silver added to the bristles has been launched. What are the benefits and how easy is the brush to use? Digital Journal takes a look.
Silver is a potent antimicrobial agent, effective against a variety of microorganisms. Once the
element has entered the bacterial cell; it accumulates as silver nanoparticles with large surface area causing cell death. At the same time, the bacterial cell becomes a reservoir for silver.
The anti-microbial properties of silver, as with copper, have been known for centuries (long before the existence of microorganisms was known, the use of specific metals was understood to help avoid sickness for food preparation or for storing water).
In recent years, advances in silver ion technology have enabled skiver to be incorporated into a number of objects for the benefit of society. An example is silver ions impregnated into plasters to help to promote wound healing.
The addition of silver into a toothbrush is, however, something quite novel. This is the approach taken by the company Mouthwatchers, led by Dr. Ronald Plotka. The aim here is to use silver ion to inhibit the growth of bacteria that will be transferred onto the brush from the user or deposited onto the brush from the environment. In turn, this can help prevent the development of cavities and plaque build-up.
The company has designed a range of toothbrushes, including a fold up travel variant, where silver ion technology has been incorporated into the bristles of the brush. Over time the silver ions act against microbial cells, ridding the toothbrush head of organisms and thereby rendering the brush sanitary. This includes removing the types of bacteria that could contribute to plaque formation.
The optimal contact time is six hours, by which time most of the contamination attached to the bristles will have been suppressed and prevented from growing.
A sample of toothbrushes and toothpaste were sent to Digital Journal for assessment.
The brushes were straightforward to use. The polyester bristles were soft, but effective and able to get into the grooves between the teeth and soft enough to brush the gumline without causing bleeding.
The toothbrush was straightforward to manipulate, and the design of the handle promoted effective ergonomics, with brush easy to position and to achieve effective cleaning.
The toothpaste contains silica and hydroxyapatite (form of calcium apatite) which aids the re-mineralization of the teeth, helping to restore the natural whiteness. The toothpaste, his has a pleasant minty taste, also contains propolis which is honeybee product (a resinous mixture that honeybees produce by mixing saliva and beeswax with exudate gathered from tree buds, sap flows, or other botanical sources). Propolis has some antimicrobial properties.
All round the brush and toothpaste combination is equivalent to more established brands, with the benefit of being able to reduce environmental and oral bacterial contamination.
