The Self-Charging Toothbrush That Also Kills Bacteria With Its Electricity

…and other items from this week’s health science news:

Bacteria will be shocked

These new toothbrushes look like ordinary manual (i.e. non-electric) toothbrushes, but they are made of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), which generates tiny electrical charges when its bristles bend and flex during brushing.

The antibacterial action is not, actually, electroshocking them to death. Rather, the electrical charges react with water the mouth to produce substances that are harmless to human cells, but kill bacteria.

As for how it stood up to testing: 115 adults participated in a three-month trial, with two groups using the experimental toothbrushes and two using standard manual toothbrushes; everyone brushed twice daily with fluoride-free toothpaste, and…

• Plaque reduction: plaque scores fell by approximately 40% among experimental toothbrush users, compared with about 15% among those using standard nylon brushes.
• Gum protection: users of the experimental toothbrushes also experienced reduced gum inflammation and bleeding, alongside a lower relative abundance of several bacteria associated with oral disease.

All in all, a promising start!

Read in full: A self-charging toothbrush that generates electricity to kill bacteria while you brush

Related: Less Common Oral Hygiene Options

Measles death toll rises in the US

The actual total death toll for the US is quite vague; for example, the CDC has confirmed only 4 measles-associated deaths in the United States in 2026, while state health departments have reported higher numbers, including 5 deaths in Pennsylvania and a possible 6th under investigation.

As for the latest, a child in southwestern Wisconsin has died from measles, marking the state’s first measles-related death since 1990.

Previously, the US had eliminated sustained domestic measles transmission, through high vaccination rates, but in recent times, coverage has declined below the 95% threshold needed to prevent outbreaks.

In Wisconsin alone, the state has reported 431 measles cases, with 428/431 occurring in unvaccinated people.

Read in full: Child dies of measles in Wisconsin’s first such death since 1990

Related: Slashed Federal Funding Cancels Vaccine Clinics Amid Measles Surge

A breath of fresh air

One of the problems with sustained use of decongestant drugs is that after a while, the drug itself can irritate the nasal lining, increase inflammation, and thus, itself prompt a resurgence of congestion.

To fix this, researchers (Dr. Tomilola Agboola et al.) developed and tested a nasal spray combining oxymetazoline, a fast-acting decongestant that shrinks blood vessels in the nasal lining, with budesonide, a corticosteroid that reduces inflammation.

What they did: a double-blind, randomized clinical trial, which included 60 adults with chronic nasal obstruction who hadn’t responded adequately to standard steroid nasal sprays. The participants used either the combination or budesonide alone twice daily for four weeks, followed by a three-week dose reduction and withdrawal period.

What they found: 83% of participants using the combination reported at least moderate improvement after four weeks, compared with 36% using budesonide alone.

Further, none of the combination-group participants developed worsening congestion during four weeks of daily oxymetazoline use or the subsequent dose reduction and withdrawal period; after one week without oxymetazoline, 75% of those whose symptoms were well controlled maintained that improvement.

Now, that is a breath of fresh air indeed!

Read in full: Nasal spray duo offers relief for stubborn blocked noses without rebound congestion in early clinical trial

Related: When Seasonal Allergies Strike, Can We Really Unstuff That Nose?

Take care!