Scientists at the University of Pennsylvania may have a solution to the mundane task of brushing and flossing: nanobots.
In a proof of concept experiment, the results of which were published in the journal ACS Nano, the researchers created a shapeshifting robotic microswarm of the tiny bots and used magnetic fields to scrub both on and in between teeth.
“You have to brush your teeth, then floss your teeth, then rinse your mouth; it’s a manual, multistep process,” explains Hyun (Michel) Koo, a professor in the Department of Orthodontics and divisions of Community Oral Health and Pediatric Dentistry in Penn’s School of Dental Medicine.
“The big innovation here is that the robotics system can do all three in a single, hands-free, automated way.”
The magnetic fields can make the robots act both as toothbrush bristles and dental floss, the researchers say, putting a high-tech twist on the old brush, floss, rinse and repeat routine.
What’s more, the nanobots contain iron oxide nanoparticles, which produce both “catalytic and magnetic reactions” that kill bacteria, clean your teeth and freshen your breath.