An innovative toothbrush can improve the quality of life of older people

After seeing the oral health of many of his older patients deteriorate drastically, dentist Johan Flyborg started looking for a solution. After five years of research in applied health technology at the Blekinge Institute of Technology (BTH), he can show that an innovative, intelligent, powered toothbrush can make a big difference in the oral health and quality of life of older people.

With more than 30 years of experience as a dentist, Johan Flyborg has often seen that there can be a drastic deterioration in the oral health of some patients as they get older.

“The deterioration in the mouth surprised both me and the patients, and I wondered what it could be due to. Research shows that early and mild cognitive decline often leads to a drastic deterioration in oral health and quality of life. However, I did not find what could be the solution to the problem. That’s why I decided to take a closer look at this particular issue,” says Johan Flyborg.

Oral health and quality of life go hand in hand
The realisation that oral health plays a crucial role in healthy ageing and the desire to find a solution for elderly patients was the starting point for Johan’s research in applied health technology at BTH. The common thread throughout the work was using an innovative, intelligent, powered toothbrush.

“An innovative, intelligent toothbrush can communicate with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and it stores, transmits, and receives data from sensors integrated into the toothbrush,” explains Johan.

This means that we can see in real-time where the brush is in the mouth, which teeth have been cleaned for how long, and how hard the toothbrush has been pressed. When the toothbrush is switched off, the feedback is immediate.

“It can be an eye-opener for many people to get this feedback, but for stroke patients, for example, who can’t feel where the brush is in their mouth and which tooth surfaces it hits, a function like this can be essential for maintaining oral health,” says Johan.

More than just a toothbrush
Johan sees the potential of integrating more functions into the toothbrush. He believes that the brush can also carry sensors for health measurement.

“With sensors that can measure body temperature and detect early signs of infection, this innovative toothbrush could become an invaluable tool in elderly care. But it is also important to involve relatives and carers to ensure success,” says Johan.

A simple solution with great potential
The innovative toothbrush is a technological innovation and a new way of thinking about elderly care and oral health. Johan Flyborg hopes it will soon become a natural part of care, helping older people with cognitive impairments to live a healthy and dignified life.

“Such a simple solution can have a huge impact,” he concludes.