While we may not always think about it, a great number of people with special needs have difficulty doing everyday tasks, such as brushing their teeth. That’s where companies like Autisticare come in. This dental care company provides a broad range of products and services designed for people with special needs. PolymaxTPE is proud to have helped develop their uniquely designed 3-sided sensory toothbrush, an upgrade that has helped thousands of people with dexterity issues.

Creating the 3-Sided Sensory Toothbrush

The idea for this sensory toothbrush was initially conceived in 1993. Once Autisticare began distributing through Amazon, it became a huge hit within the autistic community. For the past 10 years, Autisticare has built a strong community of caregivers, dentists, and people with special needs around this 3-sided sensory toothbrush.

PolymaxTPE helped further develop the toothbrush by introducing a softer TPE material that appealed more to people with special needs. PolymaxTPE has gone a long way in helping Autisticare develop this toothbrush for a larger market. There continues to be many requests for the toothbrush from hospitals, medical centers, dentists, and caretakers. Autisticare also makes a point of giving back to the special needs community by donating one toothbrush to autism and special needs institutions for every three that are sold.

Challenges Faced when Bringing to Market

One of the biggest challenges faced by Autisticare has been a competing toothbrush being manufactured in China. However, Autisticare is dedicated to making their product different and better for the special needs community through continued R&D.

Some of the biggest obstacles faced when developing the Autisticare toothbrush included:

  • Making the bristles soft enough for people with special needs
  • Creating an interchangeable head which can be replaced every few months
  • Changing from original overmolded toothbrushes to a new mold with an interchangeable head
  • Making it sustainable and eco-friendly
  • Getting repeat purchases and maintaining a long-term customer base

PolymaxTPE was able to help Autisticare overcome all these hurdles. The result was a softer, more user-friendly brush that was sustainable and helped build more long-term relationships with their customer base.

The PolymaxTPE Difference

When Autisticare decided to find a better TPE material for their 3-sided sensory toothbrush, they contacted PolymaxTPE directly. Our team sent them many samples of different TPE material, and we worked alongside Autisticare every step of the way to help them find the best material for their toothbrush.

“Tom Castile is amazing,” said Mark Klinkhammer, President of Autisticare. “He responded quickly and put his team on it to formulate everything. Mark sent samples, and then Tom put his lab technicians on it to help find the right fit for us.”

So what’s next for Autisticare and PolymaxTPE? Our businesses plan on moving forward together to develop the 2nd generation of the 3-sided sensory brush: an electric solution called the Vibe brush. This toothbrush design will be based off Sonicare and will be a universal fit with softer bristles due to the vibration.

Autisticare is passionate about creating a high-quality, sustainable toothbrush for people with special needs. Everything is sourced, produced, assembled, and packaged here in America, and PolymaxTPE is proud to have been a big part in helping Autisticare create a better 3-sided sensory toothbrush.

Interested to learn how PolymaxTPE can help with your TPE solutions? Contact us today to start a conversation!