The objective of this project was to redesign a flosser. Flossing is an important task that everybody should do everyday to keep their teeth clean, and yet people do not. So the goal here was to take the traditional flossers on the market today and try to rethink the design to something that would encourage flossing, either through being more efficient or more enjoyable.
Research
After doing some research and surveys, I learned that more people tended to use plastic flossers over the floss string. However, a majority of people who used the flossers found some common issues with it.
First, plastic flossers were bad for the environment. They are one time use, and therefore thrown out right after being use. A lot of flossers also have a pick function built into them, which most consumers don't even use, therefore, it's more wasted plastic.
Second, flossers are tedious to clean while using. The amount you can actually floss with is very small, so constant washing is required. This can become annoying, and in a task that most people don't believe they have the time or care for, efficiency is important.
Lastly, a common way people use the flossers is by pressing down on the back end with their teeth to better push the string between their teeth. This is especially helpful for people with tight teeth, however biting into a piece of plastic can be uncomfortable and damaging to their teeth.
So those are the problems I began to try and solve with my designs.
First Refined Concept
The first concept I explored more deeply was one that would solve problem 3. The flosser held the same shape and design as traditional flossers on the market, however offered 2 silicone cushions and a wider head. The longer cushion would be primarily for helping with grip, while the one on top would act as a guard for biting.
I ended up rethinking the design however, because while this may have helped with 1 problem, there were still the other 2 that I knew I could do better to create a solution for.
Refined Concept
This new concept takes the silicone cushion from the last design, but then moves forward to also try and answer the question of environmental impact and user efficiency.
The wider build allows for more string surface area to use while flossing. This will ensure that less rinsing time will need to be taken, and will be more comfortable for those hard to reach areas. The smaller amount of plastic used will also help limit at least some amount of plastic being thrown out.
The flosser will also offer a "loading system" for rings of floss. Instead of throwing out every flosser after use, instead just throw out the floss, then load in a new floss simply by bending the flosser, inserting it into the grooves around the outside, then returning it to its original shape! Packs of string can be given with the purchase of only a few flossers, instead of a pack single use plastic flossers.
Poster
