A DEVICE to keep your toothbrush clean has put a smile on the face of its Huddersfield-born inventor.
Now Jason Fretwell is aiming for a bite of big business - by selling the product to supermarkets, health trusts and chemist shops.
Jason, 39, who grew up in Kirkheaton and Lascelles Hall, came up with the idea for his ToothBrushBuddy while staying at a cousin's house one summer.
Waking up in the morning, he went into the bathroom - to find his cousin's toothbrush crawling with flies.
The incident kickstarted a three-year project to design, patent and produce a device for keeping toothbrushes free from bacteria - and reduce the risk of infected gums and teeth.
Said Jason: "Most of us keep our toothbrushes in the bathroom in the same glass or holder.
"Yet this is the surest way to spread disease around. If one of us has a cold then everyone is likely to get it - not to mention the billions of bacteria that fly around the bathroom every time we flush the toilet."
He went on: "It is estimated that within two days of use, a new toothbrush becomes infected with bacteria and fungi.
"The bacteria involving in the cause of tooth decay are readily transferred from individuals to toothbrushes together with more serious infections including colds and flu, cold sores and gastro-enteritis."
Jason said that research from Wisconsin University in the USA, suggested that a range of serious health problems, including heart disease, strokes, arthritis and low birth weight could also be linked to unhygienic toothbrushes.
The ToothBrushBuddy is an enclosed container full of a sterile solution into which the toothbrush is immersed.
Jason consulted with the British Dental Foundation and engaged a patent lawyer to protect his idea.
He gave up his job in advertising to focus on his venture and appointed a design company to help create the product.
The NHS is now testing the product - which could lead to its adoption in hospitals - and Jason has also lined up talks with major supermarket chains.
The product is on sale at selected branches of Lloyds Pharmacies. The tough plastic container sells for £4.99 plus VAT. The sterile solution is sold in 200ml bottles for £2.49 plus VAT.
Jason attended King James School at Almondbury before studying design and advertising at Huddersfield Technical College.
He went on to work for several advertising agencies in London - including seven years at Saatchi & Saatchi - on brands including Tesco and Domestos.
He now lives in Winchester with his Huddersfield-born wife Sarah, 38.
But he retains strong local links - with family and friends still living in the town.
And one of the companies used to produce the ToothBrushBuddy is Elland-based Kelland Tools.
