Howdy!  Welcome to the blog. This is a blog about grin, the making of, the challenges and tips on how to improve your oral care. Note: I am NOT a Dentist and don't pretend to be. Any advice you find here about dental care is either what my Dentist told me, or what I've read online. So please don’t try any at home DIY root canals based on anything I wrote. You've been warned. The bigger idea is for this blog to be about more than toothbrushes. I hope to also write about the design of everyday objects, and how they affect us and the planet. But I'm just starting and can’t guarantee anything. Except typos and bad grammar of course. I hope...

This post is to let you know what we stand for and why. (I hope it doesn't turn into this.) These days too many companies are built with one goal in mind: the bottom line. Profit is obviously key to running a successful business, but I believe companies need to be more responsible for the products they make. Sure, I’m an idealist, but I'd love if it businesses thought about the lifecycle of their product as well as the profit margins. Plastic, drug store toothbrushes are a perfect example. Once used for a few months, they’ll sit in landfills and oceans for hundreds of years. (Note: Grin uses ~85% less plastic than toothbrushes that are completely disposable. And, I hope to move to a completely biodegradable brush head in the near future.) The good news is...

Automated shopping is becoming popular for the armies of overworked people who don’t want to waste time on mundane tasks. Why? It allows you to make purchases automatically, so you don’t have to worry about wasting time going to a crowded store and seeking out specific items. Is there anything more annoying than having to stop off at the grocery store to pick up one item on your way home from work? So we’ve automated toothbrush shopping. Here’s why you should consider it: It Keeps Things Simple Here at grin, we think toothbrush shopping sucks. These days there are about a hundred (almost identical) models to choose from. So you need to sit there (already suffering from decision making fatigue)...

How much do you really think about brushing your teeth? If you’re like me, then probably not a lot. Let's be honest – this is not a sexy subject. But—it's an important one if you care about your health (or don't love going to the dentist). We brush every day but so many of us don’t take care of out toothbrushes, which can lead to cavities and can even make you sick. We’re here to make sure you avoid these problems. Here are a few of the things you should do to get the most out of your toothbrush. Store Your Toothbrush Properly You may just chuck your toothbrush in a glass or leave it on the sink when you’re done. No big deal, right?...

Let’s talk about disposable, drug store toothbrushes. They're cheap, colourful and they clean your teeth. But they’re really badly designed. Here’s why. First off, they're covered in grooves and ridges, which, I can only assume are for grip. If you rely on those grooves to prevent your toothbrush from flying out of your hand and sailing across the bathroom, then I have some news for you: you’re brushing way too hard. What those grooves actually do is fill up with old toothpaste, saliva and germs. Take a look at your toothbrush after you've brushed for a few weeks and you'll see what I mean.  Also, why are they so curvy and 'ergonomic' looking? Again I assume this is for grip....

How old is your toothbrush? Any idea? Life is so busy these days and if you’re like me, buying a new toothbrush often gets forgotten until your bristles look like a tiny food-filled explosion. Having to remember something so mundane is annoying. Let’s face it, a toothbrush is not high on the list of things that are fun to shop for. But using an old toothbrush is more than just bad for your teeth, gums and general health. It’s also proven to lead to things like dementia and heart disease. Yikes! Here’s the thing: You use your toothbrush a few times a day to remove food, germs and plaque from your teeth. And I don’t mean waving it like a...

Take a short trip with me. Imagine for a second that you’re 20 years in the future. Flying cars, refrigerators that order food for you… what? That's next year?  Anyway, one night about 6 years ago I did that while brushing my teeth.  As I brushed, I wondered what toothbrushes of the future would look like. Would we will still be using crappy, disposable toothbrushes? I mean, buying a new toothbrush, using it for a few months and trashing doesn't make a lot of sense. I get the business model; making a toothbrush from plastic is dirt cheap. Just design it to look high-value (“Wow, look at that super-grippy, moulded plastic”) and charge way more than it’s worth.  Why replace your toothbrush every few months? The reasons are hygiene and good oral health....