Shapeshifting Microrobots Can Brush and Floss Teeth
10th July 2022
The building blocks of these microrobots are iron oxide nanoparticles that have both catalytic and magnetic activity. Using a magnetic field, researchers could direct their motion and configuration to form either bristlelike structures that sweep away dental plaque from the broad surfaces of teeth, or elongated strings that can slip between teeth like a length of floss. In both instances, a catalytic reaction drives the nanoparticles to produce antimicrobials that kill harmful oral bacteria on site.
I have been waiting for this for over twenty years, as soon as I read my first story about nanotech. My dentist and I talk about it every time I go in to get my teeth cleaned.