[Innovation in Elderly Oral Care] Long-Established Cotton Swab Manufacturer Replicates "Finger-Wrapped Gauze" Technique by Veteran Nurses. Productized as Gauze x Cotton Swab. "Gauze Stick Puremore" to Launch in April to Reduce Aspiration Risk and On-Site Burden.
Yamayo Co., Ltd., a 59-year-old cotton swab manufacturer, has launched "Puremore Oral Care Gauze Stick" in April. This new product combines the benefits of gauze with a cotton swab, inspired by veteran caregivers' "finger-wrapped gauze" method, aiming to reduce the burden on care sites and lower the risk of aspiration for the elderly.
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- 📰 Published: April 28, 2026 at 19:00
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Yamayo Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Tondabayashi City, Osaka; President: Tsutomu Hibi), a cotton swab manufacturer with 59 years of experience, has launched a new product brand, "Puremore Oral Care Gauze Stick" series (2 types: 10-count bag/50-count box), as a new item of assistive cotton swabs for nursing care, maximizing the benefits of gauze material. This launch addresses the increasing demand for oral care due to the rapidly aging society and aims to reduce the burden on nursing and hygiene sites.
●Did you know that while the average life expectancy is increasing in Japan, the healthy life expectancy is stagnating? Neglect of oral care negatively affects overall health and is a major factor in shortening healthy life expectancy. Declining oral function (oral frailty) has been reported to lead to malnutrition, decreased physical function, and increased risks of needing nursing care and death. We hope that this gauze stick will be utilized and appreciated by everyone as one of the oral care products that suit various needs.
■ Development Background: A New Oral Care Product Inspired by Caregivers' "Finger-Wrapped Gauze"
Currently, oral care in nursing settings primarily uses sponge swabs with handles or toothbrushes. However, we witnessed experienced caregivers performing oral care by "wrapping gauze around their fingers," a long-standing practice. The biggest drawback, however, was the reality of fingers being bitten.
"Could we utilize the benefits of gauze material as is, to achieve safer and more efficient integrated care?"
This question was the first step in our product development as a cotton swab manufacturer.
Removes dirt with special three-dimensional wave-shaped gauze processing.
■Developer's Comment
I provide oral care for my 90-year-old parent. I use a toothbrush for teeth and sponge swabs for the rest of the oral cavity, but I always want to clean it more thoroughly, especially stubborn tongue coating. Since I work for a cotton swab manufacturer, I used long, large cotton swabs. However, one day, I saw a veteran caregiver at a nursing facility using finger-wrapped gauze to care for tongue coating, and I could clearly see the dirt being removed. I simply thought, "Putting a finger in the mouth or having one's finger in another's mouth must be unpleasant." This led me to think, "What if we changed the cotton tip of the swab to a gauze material? Then fingers wouldn't get bitten, and it would be better." Could we solve this by making it a product? From there, we conducted thorough marketing research in nursing care settings, investigating both advantages and disadvantages. In addition to strengthening safety, we adopted a "specialized three-dimensional wave-shaped gauze processing" that efficiently traps dirt in the oral cavity. After obtaining evidence from nursing care settings, we have now launched "Puremore Oral Care Gauze Stick."
【Users: From facility staff to general caregivers】
This product is designed to be easily and confidently used by professional facility staff, as well as families providing home care who may not be accustomed to oral care. We hope this product brings joy to everyone by reducing the burden on both caregivers and care recipients, ensuring safe oral care.
◎2 items available
■Bag type, 10 pieces (individually wrapped) ■Box type, 50 pieces (individually wrapped)
◎Product Features
"High cleaning power"・・・・The gauze part is highly durable and ideal for oral cleaning and massage!
"Wave-shaped three-dimensional processing"・・The three-dimensional processing firmly catches dirt on the tongue and in the oral cavity!
"Thin head"・・・・Because of its thin head, it's easy to care for the outer sides of the upper and lower jaws, which are difficult to reach with thicker heads!
"Hygienic individual packaging"・・Each stick is individually wrapped and disposable, ensuring hygienic use.
◎Product Specifications
●Q & A about this product
Q. What are the main uses of the Gauze Stick?
A. It is primarily useful for removing mucosal dirt (cheeks, tongue, palate), applying moisturizers, massaging, and softening dry dirt for the elderly and those requiring nursing care.
Q. What is the correct way to use the Gauze Stick?
A. After slightly wetting the gauze with water, be sure to squeeze out the water thoroughly before use. Gently entangle and remove dirt from the inside of the cheeks, gums, tongue, etc., moving from the back to the front.
Q. What are its features?
A. Its features include high cleaning power due to the wave-shaped three-dimensional gauze material and its thin shape, making it easy to access the oral cavity.
Q. Does it fall under medical devices according to the Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Act?
A. It is not a medical device. It is a miscellaneous good.
Q. Is it compliant with the Food Sanitation Act?
A. Yes, it complies with the Food Sanitation Act to ensure safe use in the oral cavity.
■Company Profile
Company Name: Yamayo Co., Ltd.
Headquarters: 2-2-6 Nakanochohigashi, Tondabayashi City, Osaka 584-0022
Representative: Tsutomu Hibi, President and Representative Director
TEL: Main 0721-24-3376 (Customer Service 0120-340-403)
Tokyo Office: 3F, 3-4-10 Uchikanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-0047
●Did you know that while the average life expectancy is increasing in Japan, the healthy life expectancy is stagnating? Neglect of oral care negatively affects overall health and is a major factor in shortening healthy life expectancy. Declining oral function (oral frailty) has been reported to lead to malnutrition, decreased physical function, and increased risks of needing nursing care and death. We hope that this gauze stick will be utilized and appreciated by everyone as one of the oral care products that suit various needs.
■ Development Background: A New Oral Care Product Inspired by Caregivers' "Finger-Wrapped Gauze"
Currently, oral care in nursing settings primarily uses sponge swabs with handles or toothbrushes. However, we witnessed experienced caregivers performing oral care by "wrapping gauze around their fingers," a long-standing practice. The biggest drawback, however, was the reality of fingers being bitten.
"Could we utilize the benefits of gauze material as is, to achieve safer and more efficient integrated care?"
This question was the first step in our product development as a cotton swab manufacturer.
Removes dirt with special three-dimensional wave-shaped gauze processing.
■Developer's Comment
I provide oral care for my 90-year-old parent. I use a toothbrush for teeth and sponge swabs for the rest of the oral cavity, but I always want to clean it more thoroughly, especially stubborn tongue coating. Since I work for a cotton swab manufacturer, I used long, large cotton swabs. However, one day, I saw a veteran caregiver at a nursing facility using finger-wrapped gauze to care for tongue coating, and I could clearly see the dirt being removed. I simply thought, "Putting a finger in the mouth or having one's finger in another's mouth must be unpleasant." This led me to think, "What if we changed the cotton tip of the swab to a gauze material? Then fingers wouldn't get bitten, and it would be better." Could we solve this by making it a product? From there, we conducted thorough marketing research in nursing care settings, investigating both advantages and disadvantages. In addition to strengthening safety, we adopted a "specialized three-dimensional wave-shaped gauze processing" that efficiently traps dirt in the oral cavity. After obtaining evidence from nursing care settings, we have now launched "Puremore Oral Care Gauze Stick."
【Users: From facility staff to general caregivers】
This product is designed to be easily and confidently used by professional facility staff, as well as families providing home care who may not be accustomed to oral care. We hope this product brings joy to everyone by reducing the burden on both caregivers and care recipients, ensuring safe oral care.
◎2 items available
■Bag type, 10 pieces (individually wrapped) ■Box type, 50 pieces (individually wrapped)
◎Product Features
"High cleaning power"・・・・The gauze part is highly durable and ideal for oral cleaning and massage!
"Wave-shaped three-dimensional processing"・・The three-dimensional processing firmly catches dirt on the tongue and in the oral cavity!
"Thin head"・・・・Because of its thin head, it's easy to care for the outer sides of the upper and lower jaws, which are difficult to reach with thicker heads!
"Hygienic individual packaging"・・Each stick is individually wrapped and disposable, ensuring hygienic use.
◎Product Specifications
●Q & A about this product
Q. What are the main uses of the Gauze Stick?
A. It is primarily useful for removing mucosal dirt (cheeks, tongue, palate), applying moisturizers, massaging, and softening dry dirt for the elderly and those requiring nursing care.
Q. What is the correct way to use the Gauze Stick?
A. After slightly wetting the gauze with water, be sure to squeeze out the water thoroughly before use. Gently entangle and remove dirt from the inside of the cheeks, gums, tongue, etc., moving from the back to the front.
Q. What are its features?
A. Its features include high cleaning power due to the wave-shaped three-dimensional gauze material and its thin shape, making it easy to access the oral cavity.
Q. Does it fall under medical devices according to the Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Act?
A. It is not a medical device. It is a miscellaneous good.
Q. Is it compliant with the Food Sanitation Act?
A. Yes, it complies with the Food Sanitation Act to ensure safe use in the oral cavity.
■Company Profile
Company Name: Yamayo Co., Ltd.
Headquarters: 2-2-6 Nakanochohigashi, Tondabayashi City, Osaka 584-0022
Representative: Tsutomu Hibi, President and Representative Director
TEL: Main 0721-24-3376 (Customer Service 0120-340-403)
Tokyo Office: 3F, 3-4-10 Uchikanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-0047