Brushing your own teeth might seem like enough of a chore for some people, let alone having to give your dog’s chompers a once over before going to bed, too. The American Veterinary Medical Association does say, however, that brushing a pet’s teeth regularly is the best way to maintain their oral health, and Bristly is a new tool designed to let them do the grunt work.
The idea behind Bristly is that rather than having periodontally preoccupied owners wrestle with pets while they carry out the brushing, they can just present the animal with something they’d like to chow down on themselves that will take care of business.
So, the brush is essentially a natural rubber toy said to offer a meaty flavor that is covered in bristles and contains a reservoir that can be stocked with toothpaste. As the dog munches away on the brushing stick, they get a dose of toothpaste and the bristles snaffle up the pieces of food (and whatever else happens to be in there).
Rather than just having canines use the brush as they see fit, Bristly has been designed to be used for five minutes a day under supervision of the owner. This will apparently help prevent the development of oral diseases stemming from gum inflammation and the accumulation of plaque and tartar. It should also help keep their breath a littler fresher.
Bristly is currently the subject of a Kickstarter campaign, where early pledges of US$19 will have one shipped your way this October if everything goes to plan. There are three size options for different types of dogs, along with a more durable version for the heavier chewers. You can check out the pitch video below.
Bristly doggy toothbrush lets your hound do the grunt work [New Atlas]