If you have a child with sensory issues, then you probably already know how a simple task (e.g. brushing teeth) is anything but simple. ARK Therapeutics acknowledges such difficulties and has developed specific tools for them. ARK Therapeutics is a family company founded by speech-language pathologist, Debbie Lowsky. She and her engineer husband founded the company in 2000 since there were limited oral motor therapy tools available. The company offers several helpful tools for chewing, drinking, fine motor skills, and so much more. One product they offer is the ARK’s Z-Brush Sensory Toothbrush.
On creating the company, Lowsky stated, “I often need to get into the mouth – to provide tactile cues for certain speech sounds, to work on tongue lateralization for feeding skills, etc. Back in 2000, however, there were very few tools available for oral motor therapy, let alone for these very specific goals.”
The company’s Z-Brush Sensory Toothbrush is carefully crafted in the USA out of medical grade, FDA-compliant materials that contain no lead, phthalates, PVC, BPA, or latex. The sensory toothbrush combines the company’s Z-Grabber handle with their Brush Tips for sensory oral care stimulation.
When ordering the Z-Brush, your order will automatically include:
- 1 (yellow) Hard Brush Tip
- 1 (blue) Soft Brush Tip
- 1 Switch Tip
- 1 battery
- The battery included is a special Vibe Battery not sold in stores, so they recommend buying a spare set from the pull-down menu at checkout.
Z-Brush’s Overview:
As stated previously, the toothbrush is designed for sensory oral care stimulation. It includes 2 different tips. The blue softer brush has pliable bristles, which allow for gentle gum massage and teeth cleaning. The harder yellow tip can be used as a transition to the eventual use of a standard toothbrush.
Both yellow and blue tips provide proprioceptive and tactile input to the tongue, cheeks, palate and lips. The Z-Brush can be used with or without the vibration, but the vibration feature creates a “new level of sensory awareness that many individuals find calming and soothing.”
