Health and wellness entrepreneur Howard Panes says traditional oral care overlooks the hours between brushing
BOCA RATON, FL, UNITED STATES, June 5, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — For generations, consumers have been taught the same oral care routine: brush your teeth, floss regularly, and visit your dentist.
But according to Smile+ founder Howard Panes, that advice overlooks a critical reality.
“The average person brushes their teeth for just a few minutes each day,” said Panes. “That leaves roughly 16 waking hours when the mouth is exposed to coffee, acidic beverages, meals, snacks, dry mouth, and other everyday challenges. We call that the 16-Hour Gap™.”
Today, Smile+ announced a new approach to oral wellness focused on the hours between traditional brushing routines. The company believes this period has been largely ignored by conventional oral care despite representing the vast majority of a person’s waking day.
Consumers today have wellness products for nearly every aspect of their lives. They use supplements between meals, skincare products throughout the day, recovery tools between workouts, and wearable devices to monitor their health around the clock. Yet oral care has remained largely confined to a few minutes in front of the bathroom mirror.
“We’ve seen incredible innovation in nutrition, fitness, sleep, recovery, and skincare,” said Panes. “But oral care has changed very little. We believe consumers are ready for a more proactive approach to supporting their oral wellness throughout the day.”
The company’s first product—a nicotine-free oral whitening pouch designed to support fresher breath and a brighter smile—features a science-backed formula that includes nano-hydroxyapatite, xylitol, zinc citrate, calcium glycerophosphate, sodium bicarbonate, and other ingredients selected to support a cleaner, fresher oral environment throughout the day.
Smile+ was designed to fit naturally into everyday life—after coffee, after lunch, before a meeting, before a date, while traveling, or anytime consumers want to support a cleaner, fresher oral environment.
“Our mission isn’t to replace brushing or flossing,” said Panes. “Those remain the foundation of good oral health. Our mission is to help people think differently about the 16 hours between brushing.”
Panes, a longtime entrepreneur and wellness advocate, believes the broader opportunity extends far beyond whitening.
“We’re not building a teeth whitening company,” he said. “We’re building an oral wellness company. Just as consumers now think about sleep, gut health, and skincare, we believe oral wellness will become an increasingly important part of how people think about their health, confidence, and daily routines.”
Growing consumer interest in preventative health, self-care, appearance, and wellness routines has fueled rapid growth across numerous categories over the past decade. Smile+ believes oral wellness represents one of the largest remaining opportunities for innovation within personal care.
The company plans to expand into a broader ecosystem of products designed to support healthier smiles, fresher breath, confidence, and everyday oral wellness.
“People are realizing their smile isn’t just about their teeth,” said Panes. “It’s about confidence, self-expression, and how they show up in the world.”
Smile+ believes the future of oral care will not be defined solely by what happens during a few minutes of brushing each day, but by how consumers care for their mouths during the many hours in between. The company calls that opportunity The 16-Hour Gap™.
For more information, visit www.GetSmilePlus.com.
ABOUT SMILE+
Smile+ is an oral wellness company dedicated to creating science-backed products that support fresher breath, brighter smiles, and greater confidence. By combining innovative delivery systems with modern wellness principles, Smile+ is helping redefine how consumers think about oral health, appearance, and everyday wellbeing.
Howard Panes
Smile+
hello@getsmileplus.com
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