An entrepreneurial dentist is hoping his decision to incorporate beautiful design elements into toothbrushes, mouthwash and floss will inspire more Aussies to take better care of their dental health.
Dentist Dr Joseph Badr is the founder of sustainable dental care brand Dsmile, which this week is launching its new clinically developed ‘Taste the Colour’ range of coloured and flavoured toothpastes, toothbrushes, mouthwashes and flosses.
Badr launched Dsmile in 2021 as a response to negative environmental and health trends he saw as a clinician leading five dental clinics. The brand’s mission is to create sustainable and design-led dental products that encourage Australians to take better care of their teeth at home.
The new clinically developed range of coloured and flavoured toothpastes are vegan, gluten-free, SLS free and sugar-free, with consumers able to choose from Native Berry (purple), Bubblegum (yellow), Strawberry (pink) and Bush Mint (green) available from Dsmile’s website.
During Dental Health Week in early August, the Australian Dental Association (ADA) released its annual Consumer Survey of 25,000 Aussies’ oral habits, which showed 75% of Australians never floss their teeth, while one in five brush only once per day.
The ADA recommends Australians floss once a day and brush twice a day.
Dr Badr told SmartCompany he hopes the ‘Taste the Colour’ range will inspire people to enjoy looking after their teeth more and put dentistry on the wellness agenda.
“Over the years and even as recently as two weeks ago, during Dental Health Week, every survey that comes out tells and just conveys that people actually are not flossing their teeth,” he says.
“75% of people do not floss their teeth, which is a fundamental part of a good oral routine or health routine and one in five people don’t brush their teeth.
“It’s not necessarily from a lack of products. There are a lot of products on supermarket shelves. It’s engaging in that routine. That’s the issue.
“Most people look at that as a chore, so part of what we wanted to do is create a system that is visually appealing in design.
“It’s almost like a design to change habits.”
“So obviously the visual cue by having these products on the bathroom bench is going to engage patients in reaching out and making sure they brush, floss and rinse everyday.”
Over more than two decades as an Australian dentist while running his chain of D-Spa Dental Clinics, Dr Badr and his team have treated over 20,000 patients.
Dr Badr says over the last two years he and his team have done surveys and trials for the Dsmile range within the five clinics that he manages and runs.
“We found that over 85% of patients that have used the system are actually flossing more, rinsing more and brushing their teeth a lot better,” he says.
“Initially we started with just the white samples and now we’re expanding that into a colour range, which includes different flavours as well, which will get patients much more engaged.
“That’s basically the feedback we’ve been getting from our customers and patients that they want more flavours.”
Dr Badr adds that when it comes to Australians maintaining healthy dental habits, it’s all about integrating it into their daily routines.
