A new year will invariably herald a new set of good intentions, so why not encourage your patients to ensure better oral hygiene is one of them? What people say they do and what they actually do vary widely. The epidemiology of gingivitis and periodontal disease clearly indicates that many people do not brush well, so how might their chances of improving their oral hygiene be increased?

Oral-B's new SmartSeries electric toothbrush is the ideal tool to encourage compliance as it allows dental professionals to programme patients' brushing routines onto their mobile to ensure they follow professional guidance between appointments. Control is firmly passed to the patient, but under the guidance of dental professionals. Brushing duration, mode and problem zones can all be highlighted and the information easily retrieved. Moreover, the brush can store up to 20 brushing sessions so you don't need to have your phone in the bathroom: the data will simply be transferred the next time the app is connected to the toothbrush!

With patients' consent, professionals can now access toothbrushing data to gauge the level of compliance and help patients identify areas for improvement. Users need not worry about their battery life draining, as the brush uses a Bluetooth 4.0, which uses significantly less energy than the traditional version.

Oral-B electric toothbrushes have always offered users a great brushing experience. Now they're able to assist patients in keeping up good oral hygiene between appointments. Now there's no excuse for failed resolutions!