Meet Sagar. He began his career in engineering and project management, working with a global firm that sent him across South and West India. But in 2014, he quit. Why? Because he felt there was a bigger problem to solve, oral hygiene in Indian homes remained neglected, with brushing being the only habit.

Around the same time, he reconnected with Prashant, someone he’d collaborated with for years on digital marketing and social media projects. When Prashant suggested joining hands to do something more impactful, the duo agreed: together they could build something meaningful for India’s oral health space.

Thus, in an unassuming 3 BHK apartment, their first venture began, a D2C brand aiming to transform how Indians take care of their teeth and gums.

The Spark: Understanding a Missing Habit

What triggered it all? A simple dentist’s advice during a personal checkup: brushing cleans only about 60% of the teeth. The remaining 40%, between gums and crevices, stays dirty if you don’t floss. In India, flossing wasn’t common at all.

Sagar asked himself: If products exist abroad, why don’t we have them here, affordable, India-ready, and backed by dentists? That question became the spark. The goal: make flossing and electric brushing a habit for millions.

First Steps: Import, Test, Repeat

Their first product: a water flosser. Initially imported, priced around ₹5,000–₹6,000, cheaper than many global devices but still premium. They sold the first units to dentists and early adopters. Feedback came fast: people appreciated easy gum cleaning and better oral hygiene.

Over the next three years, ORACURA began localizing parts: plastic components made in India, assembly in a small mid-sized manufacturing unit. Today, roughly 30% of parts are locally sourced with a target of 60% in the next 1–2 years.

As demand grew, they expanded the lineup: from water flossers to sonic electric toothbrushes, and now even natural toothpaste. Every product got refined, design tweaks, power adjustments, better service support, based on real user feedback, often from dentists themselves.

Market Reality: Educating Consumers, Building Trust

ORACURA’s biggest challenge wasn’t tech, it was changing mindsets. In most Indian households, brushing once a day, or at best twice, is normal. Flossing? Rarely. So Sagar and Prashant leaned heavily on two levers:

• A growing network of 30,000+ dentists who understood the oral health gap.

• Digital awareness campaigns to educate people about gum health, plaque, and long-term risks.

They chose to be a mostly online brand, targeting urban and digitally savvy buyers across Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities. As word spread, more people tried and began recommending it, sometimes even before visiting a dentist.

They also embraced quick-commerce platforms and marketplaces to widen reach, though navigating those platforms was another challenge on its own.

Growing Sustainably: Team, Profitability, and Expansion Plans

ORACURA today is not a two-person side hustle. With a team of 70–75 people, average age 30–35, the company is bootstrapped, yet breaking even, no heavy burn. The founders attribute this to sticking close to core values: product quality, pricing sensibility, and honest marketing.

Their roadmap for the next few years includes:

• Localizing more of the manufacturing process, reducing import dependency.

• Expanding product categories, including mouthwash and other oral-care consumables.

• Exploring international markets and increasing their offline presence through automated vending or experience stores.

• Doubling revenues yearly while staying profitable, not chasing aggressive burn.

Hard Lessons: What They Faced and What They Learned

According to Sagar, the biggest early hurdles weren’t engineering or manufacturing. They were:

• Product-market fit, convincing consumers that brushing isn’t enough.

• Supply-chain challenges, sourcing parts, managing inventory, and ensuring spare parts/services.

• Building a team, hiring people who care, adapt, and are willing to build a culture.

• Compliance and regulation, navigating India’s complex regulatory environment without losing focus.

From this journey, their blunt advice for aspiring founders: Be patient. Solve real problems. Don’t glamorize overnight success. Build slowly, iteratively, and with integrity.

Why You Should Care

Because ORACURA isn’t just about selling a gadget. It is about shifting behaviour, nudging people to take oral health seriously.

In a country where tens of millions still rely on basic brushing, such a shift can impact overall health, reducing gum diseases, improving confidence, and even affecting long-term health outcomes.

If you’ve ever wondered why electric brushes are selling more, or why flossers are trending on social media, ORACURA’s story gives a clear answer: the right idea at the right time, grounded in real gaps, not just marketing hype.

Final Thought

Sagar and Prashant didn’t start ORACURA because they loved hardware. They started it because they saw a silent problem, millions brushing yet sidelining gum health.

Their journey shows that sometimes, the biggest opportunities lie not in reinventing tech, but in reinventing habits.

Thank you, guys, for reminding us that a healthy smile begins with awareness, not ads.