Why you’d want to forgo a teeth-brushing session with some delightful Indian curry, caramel or darjeeling tea-flavored toothpaste I’d never know. Still, at least this solar-powered toothbrush would save you money over extended use.
120 teenagers will be putting the Soladey-J3X toothbrush through its paces, testing whether the embedded solar panel’s chemical reaction is a worthy replacement for actual toothpaste.
The toothbrush works by transmitting electrons through the middle of the toothbrush bar, with the electrons then reacting with acid in the saliva and causing a chemical reaction. It’s this chemical reaction which the Japanese company Shiken hopes will replace toothpaste and kill off plaque and bacteria just as efficiently.
There’s an obvious flaw however,with the toothbrush needing a smidgen of natural light to power up the solar panel. My bathroom,like plenty of other small London flats, doesn’t actually have a window. Am I supposed to place this toothbrush at my kitchen sink, then? [PhysOrg]
Send an email to Kat Hannaford, the author of this post, atkhannaford@gizmodo.com.
Image by Carolina Biological via Flickr
