There Are Millions Of Germs On Your Toothbrush But You Can Kill Them With This Gadget

My writing for Forbes.com covers consumer technology, focusing mainly on innovation in consumer technology. Most of my coverage tends to be about consumer audio, computing and digital photography, but occasionally I get to hear of other innovative products that prick my interest and which I think deserve a wider audience

A case in point is the Swedish startup dental technology company Be Lucent. Founded by CEO Anders Andréen, the brand hopes to create a household name for its products. Andréen was previously CEO of the Swedish lifestyle audio brand Urbanista, but after a decade in that market, he decided it was time for a change. Along with co-founder and creative director Serhat Ferat, Andréen developed and launched the Aurora toothbrush case to tackle the billions of germs on our toothbrushes.

Although we think of a toothbrush as a cleaning tool, most of us never think to clean our toothbrush, something that we put in our mouth for a couple of minutes twice daily. Anyone in dental health knows that the average human mouth harbors millions of bacteria, viruses and fungi. These contaminants come from the bathroom environment and can even drift from the toilet when flushed. A wet toothbrush is the perfect breeding ground for these pathogens, which get brushed around the mouth twice daily.

The challenge for the Be Lucent team was to create a toothbrush case equipped with UV-C light sources that can eliminate 99.9% of all the germs and other nasties living on your toothbrush in just five minutes. Andréen’s ambition is to change how most people store their toothbrushes and protect them from picking up nasty germs and putting them in their mouths.

The Aurora toothbrush case can store a conventional toothbrush or the head of an electric toothbrush. The UV-C light source turns on whenever the lid of the Aurora is closed and then runs for five minutes, eliminating virtually all the pathogens on the filaments of the toothbrush. After five minutes, the UV-C light turns off automatically and the toothbrush is protected throughout the day or night. Air holes in the case enable the brush to dry naturally.

The Aurora toothbrush case is powered by a built-in rechargeable battery that lasts for about a month between charges and can be topped up using a regular USB-C cable. More than one person can use the sanitizing case if they store the clean toothbrush somewhere safe after taking it out of the case.

I asked Andréen what moved him from the fun and fashionable world of Urbanista earbuds to the dental tech sector: “It all started with some conceptual discussions, where we realized that we expected so much more from a product category that affects every person on the planet. We believed that an innovative solution to toothbrush hygiene and combined with a cool Scandinavian design would be a great way to improve people’s dental health. The Aurora case is meant to protect people from unnecessary germs, but I think it also makes the bathroom look nicer thanks to the range of fresh colors and the easy wall hanger design.”

Verdict: I’ve had a chance to look at the Be Lucent Aurora. And while I have no way of testing its efficacy, it’s well-known that UV-C light is a safe and effective way of eliminating germs and has been used to purify water for many years. The Aurora is small and neat. It soon becomes second nature to pop your toothbrush head into the case after brushing and leave it there until the next time you need to brush. It’s one of those innovations you never knew you needed, but the thought of brushing millions of germs around my mouth when I clean my teeth makes me think the Be Lucent Aurora could prove to be a massive seller.

Pricing & Availability: The Be Lucent Aurora UV-C sanitizing toothbrush case is available now. The price is $35 / £30 / €34.

More info: be-lucent.com