Dyson cleans your teeth too: after dust, air and hair, here comes the toothbrush with a camera

At the heart of the CameraJet is what Dyson calls ‘Gap Optical Targeting’.

A small video camera with a macro lens scans the surface of the teeth 28 times per second. The algorithm detects a gap between the teeth, calculates its position and, within 100 milliseconds, activates a jet of mouthwash. In effect, the toothbrush keeps an eye on where it’s going whilst we’re using it. It’s a sort of driver-assistance system applied to molars.

The car analogy isn’t actually that far-fetched. The software must constantly interpret changing images, predict where the target will be a split second later, and control an actuator. Speeds and the landscape change, of course: instead of a motorway, there are teeth and gums.

The water jet is another feature that Dyson places great emphasis on. Traditional water flossers often use a very narrow stream. According to the company’s tests, this can pierce through the layer of plaque without necessarily removing it completely. Dyson has therefore designed a wider, conical jet, intended to distribute the water over a larger surface area and operate at a lower pressure.

Dyson CameraJet in situ imagery, JPEG, PSD

To study this, the company says it has developed, in collaboration with the Faculty of Dentistry at the National University of Singapore, a synthetic substance capable of mimicking plaque. The collaboration lasted five years. It’s very typical of Dyson: first they create the problem in the laboratory, then they spend years spraying it with water.

The mouthwash is contained in a 12.5-millilitre reservoir. A diaphragm pump maintains a steady flow even when the toothbrush is tilted or held almost horizontally to reach the back teeth. The charging base refills the reservoir in around three seconds.

The brush head has also been redesigned. It features stiffer bristles towards the centre and softer ones closer to the gum line. The oscillation continuously changes angle to prevent individual bristles from remaining virtually stationary when pressed against the tooth. Dyson claims, based on laboratory tests, up to 69 per cent better plaque removal in hard-to-reach areas compared with certain competing premium electric toothbrushes.

Then there’s the MyDyson app. It allows you to view the inside of your mouth in real time, check your brushing coverage and receive guidance on technique. The company states that the camera images are neither recorded nor stored in the cloud.

To ensure the camera worked properly, Dyson even had to design special low-foaming toothpaste and mouthwash. Foam, which appears harmless, turns into a mist when captured by a micro-camera.

Dyson CameraJet, hero imagery, JPEG, PSD

It took six years of development, 661 engineers and 38 patents filed. The Dyson Dental System will go on sale on 1 September for 479 euros. The pack includes the CameraJet, a dock, a travel case, toothpaste and mouthwash.

One might question the price of the CameraJet. One might doubt the need to watch one’s molars being cleaned via a live stream on a smartphone. And, above all, it remains to be seen – outside Dyson’s laboratories – to what extent the combination of camera, water jet and toothbrush actually improves oral hygiene in the long term. But there is one quality that is worth acknowledging.

Dyson continues to invest money and years of work in an attempt to create products that did not previously exist. They do not always work. Some go on to become industries. Others end up in warehouses. Still others resemble objects that have accidentally arrived from a poorly designed future. The point is that industrial innovation also needs this sort of determination.