Trace: Building Oral Hygiene Habits That Last

Trace is an intuitive oral hygiene tool designed to elevate your overall dental wellness experience, consisting of an electric water flosser and toothbrush, a magnetic charging tray, and complementary toothpaste and infuser. It was designed to help you create a dental routine that is effective and that you’ll want to stick with.

“We sought to create a holistic oral care experience by activating multiple senses…simultaneously."

Dentists recommend two minutes of flossing and two minutes of brushing. Four minutes may not seem very long, and yet many of us still struggle to dedicate those minutes to our daily dental care routine. Why? Because of its high effort and low reward nature, dental care feels like a task. The current products available don’t help either; the dental care industry is hyper-focused on adding high-tech whitening and brightening innovations, rather than focusing on the user’s experience and healthy basics.

Trace was designed by second-year students Charvi Shrimali, Kaylan Tran, and Jaemin Cho during the Product, Brand, and Experience course taught by Hlynur Atlasson. The team identified their target audience as millennial womxn living in urban environments. “With the rising awareness about dental care and the costs of treatments, more and more millennials are willing to take their health into their own hands and invest in at-home self-care tools,” the team explains. “Created while keeping in mind the busy lives, needs, and desires of millennial womxn living in urban environments, we identified a minimal yet effective oral care routine, and we aren’t asking for anything more—simply brushing in the morning and brushing plus flossing at nighttime.”

The team sought to create a holistic oral care experience by activating multiple senses simultaneously. They identified a minimal yet effective oral care routine: simply brushing in the morning and brushing and then flossing at nighttime. "If you have to floss only once, nighttime is most effective," Charvi Shrimali explains. "It's also an opportunity to unwind. Instead of artificial mint, we offer natural and thoughtful flavors. Instead of focusing on capacity and impact, we prioritize ease of use with a more compact, detachable design. Lastly, we provide a cohesive ecosystem with a unified design language instead of fragmented products." The team also decided that multiple choices were important. Based on their research, 56 percent of people pay attention to their dental products' flavor, while 26 percent also think they're all the same. By creating smaller and more thoughtful formulas, they allow customers to choose their own experience.

"If you have to floss only once, nighttime is most effective.
It's also an opportunity to unwind.”

Let’s take a look at how Trace works: First, fill up the water tank and place it on the warming tray. Next, choose the infuser flavor of your choice. Wait for the light on the tray to turn amber, then lift the lid to open the tank and add a few drops of the chosen infuser to the tank. Adjust the intensity of the infusion based on your mood. Attach the combined unit and first select the water flossing mode which will send gentle warm water through the gaps in your teeth. Finally, select a flavored paste and brush your teeth using the brush mode.

Careful consideration was given to all aspects of the product—from scent to taste to touch. The Trace team’s research found that 1 and 8 adults suffer from teeth sensitivity, the result of worn tooth enamel or exposed tooth roots. Abrupt temperature changes can worsen the condition, so dentists recommend using lukewarm water while water-flossing. The Trace tray offers inductive charging, and while the main body is on the tray, the built-in heating unit brings up the water temperature and maintains it at 100°F (38°C). After filling up the tank, you place it back on the tray. Wait for a few seconds. As soon as the water reaches 100°F, the light on the tray will turn amber, and you know the water is ready for use.

Since Trace's aim is to create healthy dental practices that last, the team built an intuitive UX system that guides you through the ritual of brushing and water-flossing. Each button also has braille tactile indicators and a soft light, suitable for low-light environments.

The materials used in the Trace suite have also been carefully considered. Made with break-resistant, heavyweight fluted acrylic, Trace features consistent fluted details throughout. “Currently trending, fluting is a timeless design choice that implies heritage and craftsmanship,” Kaylan Tran explains. “It creates a sense of visual play while providing a firm grip.”

"Trace is direct, intuitive, understated, and thoughtful," adds Jaemin Cho. "We want that to come across in the brand's visual language as well. We chose the name with these intentions in mind." By definition, Trace means to find or discover a path that one follows. It's also the motion you make while brushing and flossing—tracing the teeth and gumline—a subtle but not-so-subtle reminder of what needs to be done.

The Trace logo plays off of the equality symbol, subtly implying the two steps that are equally important in the process. Ripple is the first step, which is water-flossing. The second step is brushing, with the rectangular stroke mimicking the silhouette of the brush body. Trace's palette is subtle nature-inspired colors paired with soothing grey tones: sand, sage, and sea foam. The graphic elements are an abstraction of water splatters—literal but still fresh and expressive.