Shemaine Bushnell Kyriakides
In a small lab project that could easily scale into something much bigger, a group of students in Cyprus has created an all-natural mouthwash designed to tackle one of the less visible but important problems in oral health: biofilms.
The product, called Biocleanse, was developed by a team of seven students from a senior school program linked to The Senior School Nicosia. It’s already starting to attract attention for both its science and its ambition.
At its core, Biocleanse is a natural mouth rinse designed to break down harmful microbial communities, known as biofilms, that form on teeth and gums. These layers are a major contributor to common dental issues such as cavities, gingivitis, and periodontitis.
And while most traditional mouthwashes focus on killing bacteria on the surface, the students behind Biocleanse say they wanted to go deeper, targeting the structure that allows these bacteria to survive in the first place.
That matters, they explain, because biofilms don’t just make oral hygiene harder; they may also contribute to antimicrobial resistance over time. Their goal was to create something that works with nature rather than relying on harsh chemical approaches.
For the students, though, this wasn’t just a science experiment.
It was a full mini-company experience.
The team combined laboratory research with business planning, packaging development, and marketing strategy, essentially building a startup from scratch while still in school. That mix of science and entrepreneurship is exactly what programs like the Junior Achievement initiative are designed to encourage.
And it’s paying off.
Biocleanse has already earned first place at both the EuroScience Open Forum and the Cyprus sCYsence Fair, putting these young creators on the radar far beyond the classroom.
For a small island like Cyprus, where family-owned businesses and innovation often go hand in hand, the idea of students developing a health product with commercial potential feels especially relatable and a little inspiring.
Anyone who has ever heard a teenager say they’re “bored in school” might look at this differently now.
Because here are students not just learning theory but applying it to real-world problems, then pitching it, testing it, and building it like a real company.
The team now hopes Biocleanse can move further through the Junior Achievement program, with ambitions to eventually reach pharmacies, health stores, and online markets. The idea isn’t just to win competitions but to actually bring their product into everyday use.
Whether it ends up on shelves or not, the project has already done something important: it shows what happens when young students are given space to think like scientists and entrepreneurs at the same time.
And in this case, that thinking started with something as simple and as universal as brushing your teeth.
