{"id":115,"date":"2016-01-19T11:32:56","date_gmt":"2016-01-19T11:32:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.foreo.com\/mysa\/?p=115"},"modified":"2023-11-08T15:56:46","modified_gmt":"2023-11-08T14:56:46","slug":"brush-destiny-issa-and-quest-perfect-electric-toothbrush","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.foreo.com\/mysa\/brush-destiny-issa-and-quest-perfect-electric-toothbrush\/","title":{"rendered":"A Brush with Destiny: ISSA and the Quest for the Perfect Electric Toothbrush"},"content":{"rendered":"

For all of the amazingly complex and intuitive functions of the human body, teeth seem like something of an oversight. Think about it: Our stomachs safely contain acid that is strong enough to easily dissolve zinc. Our kidneys each contain approximately 1 million <\/em>individual filters. Our bones are stronger than concrete when it comes to supporting weight.<\/p>\n

And then there\u2019s our teeth<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Unlike the teeth of certain other animals (rodents, for example), human teeth don\u2019t continue to grow and replace themselves. Instead, after our initial set is replaced during early preadolescence, we find ourselves having to make do with the same 32 teeth for the rest of our lives. That might not be such a bad prospect, if it weren\u2019t for that fact that our teeth are constantly biting, grinding, and mashing into each other and whatever else we decide to chew on, in a violent frenzy that seems perfectly suited towards cracking and chipping away at them. And teeth aren\u2019t simply boney protrusions, either; they\u2019re hollow, nerve-filled timebombs of pain, just waiting for something to go wrong. This continual wear and tear, combined with teeth\u2019s propensity to develop cavities, results in a national dental cost of about $111 billion<\/a> every year.<\/p>\n

Given their inherent frailness, it just doesn\u2019t seem as though most teeth have a very good chance of lasting throughout an entire lifetime. As such, if you want your teeth to be able to take care of you throughout the eight or so decades you\u2019re using them, you need to do your part to take care of them<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Brush Brush Brush<\/strong><\/h2>\n

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In order to maintain a healthy set of chompers, the best thing that you can do is regularly brush your teeth. You see, when you eat food\u2014particularly food that is high in carbohydrates<\/a>, such as bread, cake, candy, cereal, milk, soda, or even fruit\u2014some of the particles of that food remain on and between your teeth. Over time, the bacteria and saliva in your mouth combine with these particles, and form plaque<\/em>. As plaque builds up on and around the teeth, its natural acidity begins to dissolve the teeth. Likewise, gums that are not regularly brushed and flossed can develop gum disease<\/em>, which causes the gums to recede from the teeth, exposing the roots to possible infection. If left untreated, this can lead to serious problems with cavities and even tooth loss. Thankfully, proper brushing (along with regular flossing and cleaning-visits to the dentist) drastically<\/em> decreases the likelihood of tooth-related health problems. That having been said, there\u2019s a difference between brushing, and brushing right<\/em>. Improper brushing techniques are often ineffective at best, and may even cause harm to the teeth they\u2019re supposed to be protecting. At the same time, conventional toothbrushes are often inflexible and awkward to hold, and have a difficult time reaching all of the tooth-surfaces that need to be cleaned. They also require more work on the part of the user in order to be effective, leading users to spend less time brushing, or to skip brushing sessions entirely.<\/p>\n

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Strokes of Genius<\/strong><\/h2>\n

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In answer to these issues, the electric toothbrush was developed. Electric toothbrushes have many advantages over their more-traditional cousins, several of which we\u2019d like to address here:<\/p>\n