Chewable Toothbrush: Great Idea?

The Chewable Toothbrush is probably not a good idea for elderly people or children who are known to swallow everything that moves.

On the patent page, it cheerfully reads:

There once was a man named Drew,
Who bought a toothbrush he knew he could chew.
If the directions he'd followed,
He wouldn't have swallowed.
So back up, the toothbrush, he threw.

Patent# US6769828 also known in clandestine dental circles as the Chewable Toothbrush has definite merit as a travel aide for those who may not have a toothbrush on hand. The patent includes a pliable bristle anchor, bristles attached to the anchor, and a handle attached to that. The bristle anchor has a cavity (forgive dental reference) that can hold material such as toothpaste or mouthwash. When the user chews on the toothbrush, the paste or mouthwash is then released onto the bristles. Practical for quick brushing, the Chewable Toothbrush can either be a single–use disposable item or a multiple use unit, which makes it very versatile for this throwaway society of ours.

Although it has been said that the Chewable Toothbrush is not as good as the real thing, in a pinch it works well and that is the point. Consider these other travel//teeth related inventions. Read Steve Levenstein’s humorous post, “The Top Ten Strange and Unusual Japanese Chewing Gums” and Diane Eld’s interesting piece, “Tooth Tattoos - What Would the Tooth Fairy Think?”

Keep brushing!

Via Patently Silly