What it does
BabyBite enables safe, daily saliva collection from babies through natural chewing, making it easier for parents to spot early signs of oral imbalance and build long-term hygiene awareness from the earliest stage of development.
Your inspiration
I grew up watching my elder brother struggle with early childhood caries. His stubborn brushing habits and the lack of feedback for my parents meant cavities formed early and the impact still lingers. Years later, I saw the same issue with my nephew, brushing resistance, no visible signs, and no early warnings. That’s when I realised this wasn’t an isolated case. There’s a hidden gap in oral hygiene between tooth eruption and brushing independence. I wanted to design something that could fill that gap and help parents act before real problems began.
How it works
BabyBite is a chewable silicone toy that collects saliva from infants as they chew. The toy contains no electronics or batteries, making it completely safe for babies. Its hollow handle gathers saliva. When analysis is needed, the handle is removed and placed into a separate smart dock. The dock contains sensors that measure pH, turbidity, and other oral health markers in the sample. After analysis, the dock uses UV light to sterilize the handle so it can be safely reused. This separation of the toy from electronics ensures safety and gives parents a convenient way to look into their baby’s oral health. Baby grasps the silicone toy, chewing it until saliva floods the hollow handle. The saliva‑filled handle is lifted into the smart dock, where sensors spring to life, measuring pH, turbidity and key biomarkers. After analysis, UV light sterilizes the handle. Results transmit wirelessly to the smartphone app for near real‑time feedback. Steps are smooth and safe.
Design process
I began with an idea of a pH-sensing teether that could warn parents about harmful acidity in a baby’s mouth. I sketched simple shapes and imagined a little smart teether with a built-in sensor. But conversations with dentists, paediatricians and parents revealed that a teether with electronics might be tricky. I realized a simpler solution might be needed. That was humbling, but it sharpened my focus. Next, I prototyped a tiny tongue patch, then a dissolvable strip that babies could chew safely. Each version taught me something new. I drew CAD models and built simple mock-ups, learning what worked and what didn’t. I even explored a chew toy infused with nanoscale germ-fighting particles, but found it added too much complexity for little ones. Now I’m excited about a passive silicone teether paired with a simple smart dock. This toy has no electronics itself, and the dock handles the sensors. I have stacks of sketches and CAD renderings refining this idea. Foam mock-ups are in progress so we can test the feel and safety of the toy. After this winding journey, I feel confident this direction combines simplicity, safety and smart oral care in one solution. I’m grateful to all the dentists, paediatricians and parents who have guided this journey.
How it is different
BabyBite stands out because it works completely hands‑free, unlike messy swabs or disposable strips, the soft silicone toy quietly gathers saliva whenever a baby chews or plays, with no extra steps for parents. It’s safer too there are no batteries or electronics in the toy itself, so even a toddler’s biggest bite can’t harm them, and nothing electronic ever ends up in their mouth. Instead of sending samples off to a lab and waiting days, the smart dock runs pH, turbidity, and other tests right at home, then sends results straight to your phone in minutes. After each check, with warm water and built‑in UV lights sanitize the toy so you can reuse it again and again, cutting down waste and cost compared to single‑use devices. Developed with paediatric dentists, it’s the first baby‑focused system that pairs passive saliva collection, on‑site testing, and UV sterilization into one simple, reusable kit.
Future plans
By the end of this month, I plan to complete an MVP and begin collaboration with NHS paediatric dental teams to validate the design and collect clinical insight. This will help refine the toy-dock system, evaluate usability, and assess sensor accuracy in real use. A mobile app is planned post-validation to provide feedback to parents. The next phase will focus on developing certification pathways, pursuing early funding, and preparing for scaled manufacturing with hygiene and safety compliance built in.
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