You have a smartphone in your purse, a flat screen HDTV in your living room and you use Facebook through your iPad to stay in touch with your friends. Five years ago you would have been considered a tech geek. Today, you’re just a normal consumer. But many of us are still using a 5,000 year-old piece of technology when it comes to our oral health—a manual toothbrush.
According to the Library of Congress, early forms of the toothbrush have been around at least since 3000 BC. These early brushes, called a “chew stick”, were a thin stick with a frayed end. The Chinese invented the first bristle toothbrushes at the end of the 15th century, using hog hair for the bristles. In 1938, animal bristles were finally replaced by nylon. And for more than 70% of U.S. households, that’s the same manual toothbrush technology they’re still using.
However, five years ago I moved to a Philips Sonicare electronic toothbrush, and I’ve never looked back. The Sonicare gave my mouth a cleaner feel from the first time I used it, and I’ve gotten nothing but rave reviews from my dentist on my plaque fighting skills. My wife uses a Sonicare, my kids use a Sonicare, we’re definitely Sonicare converts.
So when Philips asked me to help publicize its new Stick With Technology campaign to illuminate the “technology blindspot” in oral care, I was happy to do it.
Starting today, October 23rd, the Stick With Technology campaign will kick off with The Great Dig in New York City’s Madison Square Park. Join Mike Wolf, star of the History Channel’s American Pickers, and excavate your own toothbrush relics of the past. The Great Dig is open to the public and will run from 8am to 4pm.
If you can’t make it to New York City, you can still join in the fun by sharing a photo of how you’ve addressed your own “technology blindspot” with Philips Sonicare on Instagram (use the tag #StickWithTech) for a chance to win Philips Sonicare products.
And visit Sonicare on Facebook (Facebook.com/PhilipsSonicare) to see photos from the dig and receive product coupons.
Hope to see you today in Madison Square Park!
From Marjorie Fuhst French on October 29, 2012 :: 12:42 pm
but the woman in the black ans white photo must be in agony!! Look how much her waist is pulled in. That is also “technology” no one uses anymore, thank goodness!!!
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