Colgate and OMRON partner to deliver new high tech brushing range

Colgate has its sights set on a stake in the growing power toothbrush market following the announcement of a global partnership with OMRON, a worldwide leader in innovative sensing and control technology for the manufacture of medical and home healthcare products.

Despite long dominance in the paste and manual brushing segments of the consumer oral healthcare market, Colgate has never been a contender at the serious end of the power brushing stakes until now.

Colgate's new ProClinical A1500 electric toothbrush incorporates unique smart sensing and control technologies that automatically select the best bristle movement pattern and speed for the position of the brush in the mouth to effectively remove plaque, while being gentle on gums.

Based in Japan, OMRON are a leading innovator in their field, and produced the first Japanese components for X-ray machines in 1933. OMRON has continued to develop ground breaking home healthcare products, including innovative blood pressure monitors during the 1970s and developed the first digital thermometer in 1983.

The ProClinical A1500 uses a combination of high frequency (sonic) brush strokes that vibrate from side-to-side and up-and-down with up to 32,500 strokes per minute; electronic sensors (that can, for example, detect the “tilt angle" of the brush) and ergonomics to provide a better brushing experience. In unison, these features help compensate for less-than-adequate brushing techniques to achieve superior cleaning without 'retraining' the user.

The ProClinical A1500 has three modes: Auto, Optimum and Deep Cleaning with each mode incorporating unique movements to enhance the cleaning effect for different parts of the mouth.

The Auto mode has three speeds which automatically change as the angle of the brush head changes against the teeth; the slowest speed is used on the vertical surfaces of teeth with side-to-side strokes; mid-speed is used along the gumline; and the fastest speed engages along the chewing surfaces of teeth with up-and-down strokes.

The Optimum mode is mid-speed and operates with up-and-down and side-to-side strokes to clean along the gumline; whilst the Deep Clean mode has a faster speed and operates with up-and-down strokes that clean deep behind and between teeth.

Studies conducted by Omron with assistance from the Nippon School of Dentistry in Japan indicated the need for a guiding tool to maintain the optimum 45-degree angle along the gumline, hence the ProClinical A1500 incorporates an LED display and sensing that helps the user to maintain this.

Consumer research conducted so far has indicated that consumers appreciate the Auto mode, particularly the fact that the brush has different speeds for different parts of the mouth.

The smart, lightweight design and advanced cleaning technology make the ProClinical A1500 entirely unique, providing five times more plaque removal along the gumline¹ and better interproximal plaque reduction.²

In clinical trials, the Colgate ProClinical A1500 provided statistically significant greater efficacy in removal of dental plaque when compared with two other electric toothbrushes on the market.²

The ergonomic design of the toothbrush makes it more maneuverable and provides a more “intuitive brushing experience". The lightweight design and unique angle of the brush make reaching and cleaning back teeth easier. Thumb indents help the user position the brush at the optimum 45-degree angle and the blue LED display lights up when the correct position is achieved.

Along with auto and manual mode selection and a clear LED display, it also features a two-minute timer and a 30 second pacer to indicate when to move onto the next quadrant. A choice of two easily interchangeable heads is available - Triple Clean, which cleans in 3 ways and Sensitive, for gentle and deep cleaning. In addition, a convenient travel case is included.

Complementing the flagship Colgate ProClinical A1500 model are the ProClinical C600 and ProClinical C200.

1. vs. a manual flat-trim toothbrush after 12 weeks - Data on file; Colgate-Palmolive, February 2012.

2. vs. a leading oscillating toothbrush - Data on file; Colgate-Palmolive, Dec 2011.

Head-to-head comparison: ProClinical A1500 vs a manual at-trim toothbrush

The objective of this clinical research study was to evaluate the efficacy of a new specially engineered sonic electric toothbrush [Colgate ProClinical A1500] with unique sensing and control technologies compared to a commercially available manual flat-trim toothbrush in reducing established plaque over a twelve week period. 82 subjects were enrolled and 76 completed the study. After the initial brushing and after 4 weeks, subjects assigned to the test toothbrush demonstrated statistically significant reductions in plaque in the interproximal region, buccal surfaces and gingival margin, compared to subjects who used the control toothbrush. Furthermore, after 12 weeks of brushing, subjects assigned to the test toothbrush demonstrated statistically significant improvements in the interproximal, buccal surfaces and gingival margin as compared to subjects who used the control toothbrush. Results after 12 weeks are shown above.

S Nathoo, S Mankodi, LR Mateo, P Chaknis, F Panagakos. A Clinical Study Comparing the Supragingival Plaque and Gingivitis Efficacy of a Specially Engineered Sonic Powered Toothbrush with Unique Sensing and Control Technologies to a Commercially Available Manual Flat-Trim Toothbrush. J Clin Dent. 2012;23 Spec No A:A11-6.