Flosspen
An innovative, reusable and compact floss ready for every scenario
Combining the effectiveness of string floss with the convenience of a floss pick, the Flosspen provides a compelling alternative for people struggling to floss.
Helping individuals cultivate healthy oral care habits by reducing physical adoption barriers
Video Source: TGIX
Background
Oral health is critical to our overall well-being, however, a significant portion of the population consistently struggles to meet their daily hygiene needs.
Current Situation
While toothbrushing is the most common form of oral sanitation, it only removes roughly 20% of the plaque in the mouth, with the remainder accumulating within interdental gaps and along the gumline.
To achieve the most comprehensive oral care, individuals are encouraged to combine the coverage of brushing with the precision of flossing, alongside the use of supportive tools like mouthwash and routine checkups.
For decades, dentists have advised patients to brush and floss at least once a day, yet of the 95% of people who brush their teeth daily, less than 30% floss regularly.
According to 2018 NHI Annual Statistical
What stopped them from flossing?
One of the main reasons people fail to floss consistently is the complexity of traditional flossing tools — string floss and disposable floss picks.
According to 2015-2016 MOHW Adults and Elders' Oral Health Statistical
String Floss vs. Floss Picks
Traditional string floss, though highly effective and versatile, is widely rejected due to its awkward ergonomics and steep learning curve, serving as one of the leading reasons users stop flossing.
The convenient and intuitive floss picks, on the other hand, are unhygienic in the way people typically use them — relying on a single pick across the entire mouth, spreading bacteria from one tooth to another.
Ecological Concerns
Furthermore, when flossing properly, it's easy to go through packs of floss picks every day, many of which end up on the streets, in landfills or waterways, causing lasting damage to our environment.
Estimated 12.7 million tons of plastic waste enter the ocean annually
Flossing every day is important for our oral health, but very few manage to sustain this daily hygiene routine. The importance of routine and effective flossing hasn't changed. And neither have the methods people use to perform this crucial oral cleaning.
The Objective
Create a user-friendly, easy-to-operate, contamination-free yet environmentally friendly flossing solution that helps more people floss, more often.
Explorations
To start with, we gathered and experimented with current floss holders and reusable floss pick solutions to understand their approaches to this issue.
Floss holders, which need to be paired with string floss, have the benefit of letting users choose their favourite thickness, flavour and wax type, while reusable floss picks come with built-in floss, making them easier to carry.
Upon testing them, we found that while some products pay extra attention to head designs, which are critical to access hard-to-reach angles, both options suffer from usability flaws.
When properly used, both options require the user to re-string the device after each section, making the daily routine even more inconvenient and burdensome.
The Idea
The philosophy is to create an unconventional flossing tool, transforming the look, feel, and use of a difficult necessity into a spiritual cleansing journey, which inevitably meant rethinking the silhouette, the grip, the mechanism and the materials from the very start.
Iteration 1
The design process began with universal design principles in mind to accommodate a broader demographic, including children, the elderly and their caretakers. Initial concepts incorporates features that focused on optimising ergonomics, usability and mistake-proofing the user experience.
User-Centred Ergonomics: Widened handle for better grip and a rotating mechanism to accelerate the floss replacement process
Universal Usability: High-contrast coloring, single-direction refill inserts, and an enlarged slot for effortless reapplication
Mistake-Proofing Hygiene: Length-marking floss to indicate the amount needed per use, reducing waste and preventing the spread of bacteria
However, after conducting extensive research, user interviews and product testing, we have concluded that part of our secondary personas was near non-existent in real-life scenarios.
We realised that oral care products for children prior to permanent teeth require a highly specialised focus, while most elderly individuals have moved past the stage of basic preventative care.
Iteration II
During this phase, the overall styling shifted toward lifestyle-objects-inspired pen shape, floss head shape and sizes were modified according to test results, while functional areas such as the refill, attachment, and detachment mechanisms were constantly evolved and evaluated through a mixture of rapid prototyping and CNC machining.
The design at this stage was largely form-oriented, and we soon realised that the floss storage capacity was limited and the casing was not production-ready.
Thus, we began our final experimentation to find a size that balanced practicality and ergonomics, based on the same internal structure, form factor and floss head design.
Iteration III
In this iteration, we continued our experimentation by working closely with mechanical engineers and manufacturers to transition the concept into a physically viable product. Not only did we establish the overall dimensions, but we also finalised the material selection, internal mechanisms, and assembly processes necessary for mass production.
CMF
As the first mass-produced product where I held full creative autonomy over CMF strategy, I decided to take an unorthodox approach and visited retail environments that aligned with our identified target demographic, gathering first-hand colour, material, and finish insights from similarly-positioned products.
While testing some of the products on the market, we discovered that grip, especially when used in its designated environment, is critical to manoeuvring the product, which led us to pay extra attention to surface texture, making it more of a functional decision than merely an aesthetic one.
The Design
The Future of Flossing
Designed to make flossing easier, more accessible and more sustainable, the Flosspen is an innovative oral cleaning product that combines the effectiveness of traditional floss with the effortless convenience of a floss pick to elevate daily oral cleaning rituals.
Cleansing in 3 Simple Steps
The Flosspen offers a convenient, easy-to-grip and mess-free experience, ensuring every tooth is elegantly and thoroughly cleaned.
Catering to Users' Needs
With all components in contact with the body made from food-grade ABS, the Flosspen can be disassembled and reassembled easily for routine maintenance.
Beyond storing the dental floss, the specially engineered, tried and tested C-shaped head is angled to reach every spot, making the cleaning process intuitive and easy.
Contamination-free Freshness
The Flosspen manually dispenses and reels fresh floss for each tooth, ensuring a sanitary clean.
Once finished, simply dispose of the used string, completely eliminating the risk of cross-contamination.
Sustainability at Heart
With each refill replacing over 100 single-use plastic floss picks and lasting up to three months, the Flosspen keeps not only the gaps between teeth, but also our environment clean.
Everyday Compactness
Styled to match daily cosmetics and skincare essentials, the uniquely compact-designed Flosspen can fit easily into any pocket, backpack or overnight travel bag, making it the perfect oral care companion to carry.
Non-clinical Aesthetics
Intended to set itself apart from the traditional clinical-tool look, the Flosspen comes in 5 subtle pastel colour variations that offer a discreet, stylish solution for any occasion or even emergencies.
Behind the Scenes
