Electric toothbrushes were due an upgrade sooner or later and here it is: a toothbrush that doesn't need toothpaste.

Yes, Japanese designer Kosho Ueshima has invented a toothbrush that uses nanotechnology to clean your pearly whites. The brush, dubbed Misoka, uses specially-engineered bristles that are coated in “nanosized mineral ions”. The ions help remove stains and form a protective coating that prevents plaque and other unwanted materials sticking to your enamel. This has all come about due to Ueshima’s co-operation with nanotechnology company Yumeshokunin Co. Ltd.

The point of the toothbrush is to reduce waste by eliminating the requirement for toothpaste. It initially sounds like it'd also save you money, but the problem is the toothbrush only lasts about a month with regular use, at which point the nanocoating wears off and you'll need to go out and grab yourself a replacement. Not very eco-friendly, we think.

The toothbrush will be reaching European shores later this year, but it has been on sale in Japan since 2007 (yes - this toothbrush is as old as the Apple iPhone). Now if they'd only invent one that cleans our teeth while we sleep, that'd really be something.

[Source: Digitaltrends]