Innovative Dental Flosser with Built-In Stress Monitoring Sensor

Recent advancements in wearable health monitoring have led to the development of a novel dental floss pick embedded with a stress detection sensor. Chronic stress and anxiety impact physical health, contributing to conditions such as heart disease and mental health disorders. Traditionally, monitoring stress levels involves blood tests or subjective questionnaires, which are either invasive or prone to inaccuracies. To address this, researchers from the American Chemical Society have designed a dental floss pick equipped with a microfluidic system and a sensitive electrochemical sensor capable of detecting cortisol—the primary stress hormone—in saliva.

The floss collects saliva during typical oral hygiene routines. This saliva is transported via a microfluidic thread to the embedded sensor, which features an electrode coated with a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) tailored to cortisol molecules. When cortisol binds to the polymer, it causes a measurable decrease in electrical current, signaling the hormone's presence. The device wirelessly transmits the cortisol levels to a smartphone, providing results within approximately 10 minutes. During testing with both artificial and real human saliva samples, the dental pick demonstrated sensitivity comparable to standard laboratory saliva tests.

This innovative approach offers a non-invasive, quick, and user-friendly method for real-time stress monitoring. The ability to seamlessly integrate stress detection into daily oral hygiene routines could enable early identification of rising stress levels, allowing timely intervention and stress management. Moreover, the technology holds potential for adaptation to detect other biomarkers relevant to various health conditions, enhancing personalized healthcare.

The research team highlights that this dental floss pick outperforms many existing cortisol sensors, promising a new frontier in point-of-care diagnostics. The next steps include refining the device, expanding its biomarker detection capabilities, and conducting broader human trials.

Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-05-dental-flosser-enables-home-stress.html