Pamela Maragliano-Muniz, DMD, reviews three products that surprised her during the 2016 RDH Under One Roof meeting: BrushyBall, Cocofloss, and Smart Ash.
Last month, I had the pleasure of attending RDH Under One Roof. As someone who historically only attended conferences that were geared toward prosthodontists, I am used to being so impressed by my prosthodontic colleagues. But when I branch out and attend conferences that focus on something other than prosthodontics, I am just as amazed by the attendees' excitement and the expertise and accomplishments of the presenters. I am also intrigued by the latest and greatest products out there. At RDH Under One Roof, I saw a lot that impressed me on the exhibit hall floor. There were many beautiful exhibits, companies that I have known for a while, and some companies that were new to me. While I encountered many exciting products, I wanted to share a few relatively new products from smaller companies that have hit the marketplace and are taking dental hygiene by storm.
BrushyBall
I saw the BrushyBall in action and met Rob Malen, inventor and CEO of BrushyBall LLC. You may be wondering, "What in the world is a BrushyBall?" The BrushyBall is an adorable, battery-operated toothbrush holder, brushing buddy, and brushing coach for children between the ages of three and eight.
The BrushyBall turns on when its mouth is opened. Its teeth light up in sections to encourage the child to brush the corresponding areas of his or her mouth until all tooth surfaces have been brushed for a total of two minutes. The BrushyBall can coach the child in English or Spanish, or music can play during the brushing session.
After learning about the BrushyBall, I asked Rob about his background. I figured he would tell me that he has a dental or engineering background. Instead, he said, “I’m a dad, and I wanted my daughter to learn good brushing habits.” He was inspired to motivate and coach children to brush properly and has been working on the BrushyBall since his daughter was four years old. The BrushyBall recently hit the market and is now available to consumers and dental professionals.
Although I knew it would not fit into my luggage, I had to have a BrushyBall. As I walked around the convention center and carried it onto my flight, I realized that it also an effective conversation starter that can help people (including TSA agents) see the benefits of teaching children to develop excellent brushing habits. It’s definitely worth a look!
Learn more about it here.
Cocofloss
After the Associated Press report that had nonflossers rejoicing and all dental professionals working very hard to educate patients and the community about the importance of interdental plaque removal, flossing has been a significant topic of discussion. Since the Associated Press report was published, I have had numerous patients ask for my opinion on this topic and follow up, asking about which type of floss they should be using.
Have you heard of Cocofloss? It’s a soft, highly filamented floss that is impregnated with coconut oil and a light wax. I visited the Cocofloss booth at RDH Under One Roof; it was packed with attendees and exuded fun and energy. After waiting my turn, I met with the founders of the company, sisters Dr. Chrystle Cu and Cat Cu. They have created a fabulous floss that has dental hygienists and lovers of all things coconut brimming with excitement.
I have tried Cocofloss. It is an interesting floss: It feels like a waxed floss, it doesn’t shred, it feels very gentle (and I am a pretty zealous flosser), and it’s grippy enough to remove plaque effectively. The packaging is beautiful, and the back of the package features a timeline to encourage regular and proper flossing. If one were to use 18 inches of dental floss each day, one package of floss would last approximately two months.
Cocofloss also offers a customized subscription plan, so gone are the days of reaching for a package of floss and discovering that only two inches are left—you no longer have to go without floss until you remember to go to the supermarket. They thought of everything! Cocofloss can be purchased online by consumers or dental professionals, and dental professionals can also purchase samples to provide to patients.
Cocofloss is available in four flavors: Delicious Mint, Strawberries, Cara Cara Orange, and of course, Fresh Coconuts! Give it a try—you might become the newest member of the Cocofloss bandwagon!
If you want to give Cocofloss a try, you can get 15% off your first order of $10 or more with the promo code, "DRPAM."
Learn more about it here, or see how it works here.
Smart Ash
If you had told me prior to RDH Under One Roof that I would leave the meeting with black toothpaste, I never would have believed you. But while I was walking the exhibit hall, I saw yet another booth that had swarms of dental hygienists around it: Smart Ash's booth. As I approached, I saw jars filled with black powder that were going like hotcakes.
I had a chat with Sarah Peril, co-owner of Smart Ash. She shared a story about how she had been seeking a natural solution for her dentinal hypersensitivity when Sean McLellan introduced her to a natural activated charcoal toothpaste that he had developed for his family. That's how Smart Ash was officially born.
Smart Ash contains activated coconut-shell charcoal (whitens teeth), all-natural calcium bentonite clay (pulls and eliminates toxins from teeth and gingiva by adsorption, strengthens teeth), organic mint (freshens breath, reduces sensitivity, whitens teeth), organic orange peel (whitens teeth, protects from stain buildup, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal), and organic frankincense (strengthens teeth and gums, fights bad breath and toothaches, prevents caries and mouth sores). This is a nonabrasive, natural, and fluoride-free toothpaste.
Smart Ash is intended to be used by itself on a wet toothbrush dipped into the container. Alternatively, it can be picked up on a wet toothbrush that has a small amount of toothpaste applied to the bristles. I had to try this. I will say that, initially, it was unusual to watch my teeth turn black as I brushed my teeth (and take it from me—don’t wear a light color if you use it on an electric toothbrush!), but my mouth feels clean and refreshed when I brush with Smart Ash.
Patients (and dental professionals) are constantly seeking natural alternatives for oral care, and Smart Ash offers a modern, natural solution for tooth whitening and minimization of sensitivity in a tooth powder that safe for everyday use. Even if a fluoride-free, black tooth powder frightens you, it’s worth a try. You might be pleasantly surprised, and your patients might soon be asking you about it!
Learn more about it here.
Editor's Note: This article first appeared in Pearls for Your Practice: The Product Navigator.Click here to subscribe. Click here to submit a products article for consideration.
