Tufts University recently released a groundbreaking research result: a team of researchers from the university’s College of Engineering successfully developed a “smart flosser” with a pressure-monitoring function that analyzes the concentration of cortisol in saliva during daily dental cleanings to realize non-invasive, real-time pressure level detection. This new technology provides a new path for the miniaturization and daily use of health monitoring devices and has attracted widespread attention in the medical and consumer electronics fields.
From cleaning teeth to reading the body
On the outside, this smart flosser looks almost the same as a commercially available flossing stick. But its handle is embedded with a set of miniature sensing systems, which can collect micro-saliva through the floss itself when the user cleans their teeth, and send it to the sensor module to realize the quantitative analysis of cortisol in saliva. Cortisol is an important hormone released by the human body under stressful conditions, and changes in its concentration have been widely used in clinical monitoring of stress, anxiety, depression, and other psychological states. Professor David Kaplan, study leader and co-author of the journal Advanced Functional Materials, noted, “People floss their teeth every day, and if this action can be transformed into an interface for stress monitoring, we can achieve ‘senseless health tracking’ like never before. ”
Core technology
The core component of the floss is a flexible electrode covered with electropolymerized molecularly imprinted polymer (eMIP). This material introduces a cortisol molecular template during the manufacturing process, so that the polymer structure retains sites that are “shape-complementary” to the cortisol molecule, which has a similar “molecular memory” function. When the floss comes into contact with saliva in the mouth, the saliva is drawn into the sensing area by the capillary structure. Once the cortisol molecule binds to the eMIP surface, it triggers a change in charge transfer, which is converted by the built-in microcircuitry into an electronic signal that is transmitted to the user’s cell phone or smartwatch via a low-power Bluetooth module. Initial tests show that the floss can complete the pressure test in 5 to 10 minutes, with an accuracy comparable to that of traditional laboratory ELISA tests, and the operation process does not require any technical knowledge on the part of the user.
Opening up new scenarios for oral monitoring
Compared with traditional blood or urine testing methods, the floss realizes truly non-invasive and convenient health monitoring through the lightweight combination of “saliva + wearable”. The team notes that in addition to cortisol detection, the platform could be expanded in the future to identify other salivary biomarkers, such as estrogen and progesterone, which are used to monitor the menstrual cycle and reproductive health, glucose levels for diabetic patients, inflammatory factors, which reflect immune stress, and proteins used for early cancer screening, making it a core platform for the next-generation of “home health monitoring tools”. It has the potential to become the core platform for the next generation of “family health monitoring tools”.
From stress perception to personalized health management
In the current high-pressure, fast-paced modern life, stress-induced chronic diseases (e.g., hypertension, anxiety, sleep disorders) are on the rise. Yet most people lack the tools to quantify and autonomously monitor their mental state. This floss is expected to break this limitation. It can be “seamlessly integrated” into daily behaviors without additional time costs, helping users form the habit of daily “stress checkups” for early identification and intervention of mental health. In addition, the product also has a broad health data platform integration potential, combined with the user’s exercise, sleep, diet, and other smart device data, a complete personalized health portrait can be formed, providing data support for doctors, psychologists, insurance agencies, and so on.
Robot fight show marks start of market push
Currently, the research results have been released on Tufts University’s official media platform and have received funding support from the National Science Foundation (NSF) for stage-specific technology transformation. The team is advancing relevant patent applications and discussing commercialization with a startup focusing on digital health products. According to the source, the prototypes are expected to be launched for clinical pilots and high-end user groups by the end of 2025 and will be expanded to the retail market thereafter. After the product is launched, it may cooperate with oral care brands, health management platforms, or large insurance companies to form a complete solution of “flossing + health tracking + AI report”.
Miniature biosensing takes a critical step forward
A bioengineering scholar at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) commented, “It’s not about a piece of dental floss, it’s about a leap forward for the mouth to become a portal for body data.” This project combines flexible sensing, molecular recognition, electrochemical analysis, and wireless communication, and is an important node in the journey of miniature wearable devices from “skin to mouth”.
Conclusion
A small dental floss is quietly changing our imagination of “health monitoring”. No more cumbersome hospital procedures, no more relying on blood draws and lab tests, just in a few minutes of cleaning your teeth, you can understand your emotional stress level. This invention from Tufts University transforms “life’s actions” into “health data” and may be a key leap forward for the future of digital healthcare. When smart flossing enters the home, it will unleash not only the power of technology but also the beginning of a more proactive, personalized, and humanized health era.
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