There’s actually people in the Middle East, Pakistan and India who use a Miswak twig to brush their teeth. They bite off the top to reveal softer bristles on the inside (similar to a toothbrush). Her toothbrush, called THIS, cribs off that idea and creates solutions that better fit the American market. For example, instead of being forced to bite off the top, Sadder created a cigar cutter-like cap to do the dirty work. Plus, it’s totally natural and biodegradable.
I’m sure somebody would use these twigs to brush their teeth instead of toothbrushes. [Behance via Core 77]
Tarek Rahmah
Monday, January 31, 2011 at 10:05 AMShe has not invented/re-invented anything. Muslims have been using twigs from a particular tree, with significant health and hygiene benefits for 1400 years. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miswak
olearymo
Monday, January 31, 2011 at 11:16 AMI’m assuming your comment was made earlier and has since been acknowledged in the article, because that information is reflected there.
I think it’s not so much her ‘inventing’ anything, it’s that she’s packaged it a certain way and introduced it to a certain demographic, and the cigar cutter thing (which is dang cool).
Colour me interested – how’d toothpaste do on this? Does it wash out properly etc? Or do you cut it down a little further every use?
Steve
Monday, January 31, 2011 at 12:57 PMDoesn’t matter how much plastic crap you put on it, there’s no way it will take off. People will unwrap it and go “what? a twig? screw this!”
I’d imagine it like a pencil, you’d probably have to ‘sharpen’ it even now and then, which doesn’t help its case vs a conventional toothbrush that will far out-last it.