Discover Swiss Perfection

How One Company Turned the Simple Toothbrush Into a Design Classic 

What makes for a design classic? Objects that qualify for this much coveted designation have retained a reputation for quality and aesthetic value over decades. They often appear simple, but that simplicity masks impeccable craftsmanship and obsessive attention to detail. And once you own one, ordinary objects lose their appeal. 

Around the world just under five billion toothbrushes are manufactured each year. From the moment Curaprox decided to add to its line of professional dental equipment by creating consumer oral care products in 1979, the Swiss company has been determined that their toothbrushes will stand out from this undifferentiated mass of moulded plastic.

Working with designer Noldi Braun, the company started with the shape. Like an Eames Chair or a Gibson guitar, clean, iconic lines that perfectly marry form and function are integral to creating a design classic. So Braun created a sleek, simple shape for his toothbrush that is ergonomic in the hand and stylish next to your sink. 

Science

An object doesn’t qualify as a design classic just because it looks good. Style must be married to function, and here Curaprox really excels. Leaning heavily on the technical knowledge it has built up over decades of serving dental professionals, Curaprox aims to create dental care products that out clean all competitors.

Its best-selling Curaprox 5460 toothbrush, for instance, gets its name from the numbers of bristles packed onto the head. The company’s patented, incredibly gentle, incredibly thin Curen® filaments allow it to squeeze vastly more bristles on the Curaprox 5460 than on a standard toothbrush.

The result of all these super soft rounded bristles isn’t just a far more comfortable brushing experience, but also better results. Unlike conventional alternatives, the flexible bristles bend to reach every small crevice in the mouth, removing more plaque and bacteria. This reduces the risk of tooth decay and gum disease.

Technical mastery matters not just for designing the perfect toothbrush, but for manufacturing it as well. Every one of the 20+ million toothbrushes Curaprox produces each year are made in Switzerland. And each is thoroughly inspected for quality during and after the production process. Obsessive attention to detail starts from the first design sketch and continues to the moment the product rolls out the door.

The result is toothbrushes that not only stand out from the crowd but have also stood the test of time. More than 40 years after the first brushes left the factory, Curaprox products maintain their reputation for good looks and exceptional quality. They are, in short, an understated but impressive design classic.