Everything I Know About TPEs I Learned from the Toothbrush

The application of TPEs in toothbrush design has captured Four Reasons why TPEs may enhance your next project:

1. Ergonomics: Grips for Hands Big and Small
   If you have a really well-designed toothbrush, you know that the way it fits into the shape of your hand is critical—and the comforting feel of the overmolded TPE grip adds a lot. This grip provides sensory stimulation and improves the grasp, which is important in designing brushes for small children, who are just learning to brush, or adults with physical limitations. The non-slip grip works even when wet, which is excellent when those tiny hands are covered in slippery toothpaste foam.
2. Improved Functionality: Value-Add
   A TPE grip also adds functionality to the brush, allowing improved cleaning motion with less pressure, which is less damaging to tooth enamel. What’s even more interesting is that advancements in toothbrush design have led to TPEs playing a more integral role in oral health with the invention of TPE bristles. These compliment the traditional nylon bristles in regulating pressure on teeth, removing stains and even stimulating the gums. This new design is gentler on tooth enamel and gums, especially attractive for folks with sensitive teeth.
3. Aesthetics: Consumer Desire
   If you are designing toothbrushes for kids (especially the kind who need convincing to participate in their own dental hygiene), you know the singular importance of toothbrush color.  Also for families sharing a bathroom, colorability is a huge selling point.  TPEs are easily colorable, including custom tones.
4. Vibration Reduction: Electric Toothbrushes
   Let’s face it:  you want an electric toothbrush for cleansing vibrations at the tooth—not in the hand. TPEs can play a strong role in achieving vibration dampening via energy absorption at the grip. And obviously because of where a toothbrush is used, using materials made from FDA-compliant, food-safe ingredients is a key factor for choosing TPEs in toothbrush design.

Now that you’ve read more about toothbrush design than you ever expected, skim back at the boldface terms in this INsights. Did you notice? Those boldface terms are universal factors for any kind of smart product design—and TPEs deliver all of them.

Questions? Email [email protected]; call 401.725.8000; or go to www.teknorapex.com. 

This content was produced for IDSA’s Corporate Ambassador program.