Healthcare devices that hook up to your smartphone are a big part of CES these days, and the oral care market is certainly in on the trend. Oral-B already announced its latest high-end toothbrush, and Colgate has its own unique take on improving your brushing experience. The Plaqless Pro smart electric toothbrush can, of course, connect to your phone with Bluetooth, but the real trick of note here is a tiny embedded sensor that can detect plaque buildup in your mouth as you brush. That's communicated back to you by a light ring that turns blue when plaque is detected and turns white when the area is clear. Colgate representatives said the sensor is able to detect this on the individual tooth level.
The Plaqless Pro's other trick is that its sensors create a "map" of your mouth and transmit that data back to your phone so you can see exactly where you've brushed and what spots you've missed. I feel like you need to be really dedicated to your oral health to take advantage of that data, but it's there if you need it. The app also contains the requisite feedback and coaching tips based on how you brush -- again, something that's probably overkill for most people.
Colgate isn't saying when the Plaqless Pro will go on sale or how much it'll cost, but it will be more expensive than the company's current electric brush, the $100 E1. Colgate says it will be in the same realm as top-of-the-line options from Oral-B and Sonicare, which should put it in the $200 range. That's a big commitment, but immediate feedback on how clean your teeth are is something buyers should be able to immediately find useful.
