A University of Toronto startup has officially launched its dental "smart" gum to offer oral health support on the go, the Globe and Mail and Betakit reported.
Toothpod , co-founded by U of T alum Vishar Yaghoubian and PhD candidate Brian Webb, developed a gum that contains remineralizing, anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory ingredients that promote oral hygiene when a toothbrush is unavailable.
The product is already available in U.S. dental clinics - with the Dental Care Alliance (DCA), a dental support organization, planning to offer Toothpods in its more than 400 affiliated practices. "I think it's a game-changer in the industry and should be part of the standard of care in every daily routine," Colleen McFarlin, vice-president of the DCA's adult specialty division, told the Globe.
"I'm ecstatic, relieved, because it's real," Yaghoubian, Toothpod's CEO, told the Globe. "The hard work is just beginning."
The startup now plans to validate its dental smart gum via clinical trials in Boston, Betakit reported.
Since its founding in 2022, Toothpod has received support from several U of T accelerators including the Entrepreneurship Hatchery , UTEST and Health Innovation Hub (H2i) .
