Flavored Toothbrush for a Pleasant Morning

Toothbrushes are all set to take up a new role. They may soon deliver your morning coffee and get you up and alert even faster.   Even more exciting is that they could even deliver your medications in the future! A recent patent application has been filed by the Colgate-Palmolive Company to manufacture toothbrushes that contain certain chemicals on a patch at the back of the head of the brush. The chemicals are released while brushing.

Among the chemicals being considered, caffeine is one of them.  Others being considered are apple, mint and chile pepper flavored patches to refresh and stimulate you the first thing in the morning.  The shapes of the patches would help to differentiate the toothbrushes from one another.  Each patch is likely to last around 3 months.

An important implication of this invention is that medications could be introduced into these patches, which would be released while brushing.  They will get absorbed into the blood circulation via the surfaces of gums, cheeks and tongue. This would ensure that the patient does not forget to take the medication.  After all, very few of us forget to brush!  Drugs like aspirin and diet suppressants could possibly be delivered with such toothbrushes. 

A downside of this invention is the possibility of the person ending up brushing with the wrong toothbrush! You could get a flavor you do not want, or even worse, a medication that is not required at that particular time.

If adequate precautions are taken, this innovation could be important not only to feel better, but also in the drug-delivery field.

Source-Medindia