A retired dentist has gone back to his roots to invent a toothbrush he believes will deliver cleaner teeth and healthier gums.

Tony Hodgkison, who ran his own dental practice in Oxfordshire for 30 years, has come up with a design which demands a method of holding the brush that leads to more effective circular brushing of the teeth.

The 63-year-old has taken his idea to Coventry University’s Health Design and Technology Institute (HDTI) which is now developing the product ahead of clinical trials.

The toothbrush combines a disposable brush-head with a handle similar to that found on a screwdriver, lending itself to circular brushing.

“Dentists advise us to use a circular motion when cleaning our teeth to ensure the whole area of each tooth is reached – but in my experience that is not always easy to do with many toothbrushes on the market,” said Mr Hodgkison.

“Changing your grip while cleaning means you can more accurately target the teeth for brushing. Toothbrush design has not moved on much in 70 years and when many people use a conventional brush they tend to scrub, which is not the most effective method and can lead to gum recession,” Mr Hodgkison said. “Regular toothbrushes are clumsy things and it has been on my mind for some time to do something about this – I just needed support to develop my idea.

“Without the HDTI’s involvement, I think my project would have ground to a halt.

“Their experience of product development has helped to take my idea a significant step closer to commercial availability.”

Initial interest from Professor Stephen Dunn at Kings College Dental Institute led Mr Hodgkison to seek product development support – and he turned to Coventry University.

Staff at the HDTI developed the design and produced a CAD model before creating 20 prototypes for the clinical trials. The trials will identify any design refinements that may be required through the Institute and Mr Hodgkison hopes to have his product on the market within the next five years.

HDTI Commercial Development Director Guy Smallman said: “Inventors can bring their new product or service idea into reality by working with our in-house design team who have practical experience in the healthcare sector.

WWe can create rapid prototypes to test new concepts and assess these innovative ideas with expert panels of healthcare professionals.”