South OC Businesswoman To Appear On ABC's 'Shark Tank' Friday

DANA POINT, CA — A Dana Point businesswoman and her high school best friend are making a name for themselves in the world of dental hygiene, and on Friday, they will try to sell their savvy invention to the minds behind ABC's "Shark Tank."

Local Dana Point resident Joelle Flynn, entrepreneur and founder of FunkkOFF! TeethRefreshers, and 7th-grade classmate Sonia Hounsell, Co-Founder & Co-CEO, will make the Sharks sip red wine before testing their pocket-sized invention.

Flynn developed the idea for the all-in-one teeth cleaner while she was living near the wineries in Napa Valley in 2010, she said in a previous Patch interview.

"I was on one of my many weekend trips when I realized my white teeth were turning a 'Funkky' shade of purple," Flynn said. She said that to solve this problem, she would often carry a toothpaste tube and full-sized toothbrush in her purse so she could freshen up her teeth in between selfies and wine tastings. "One of these times, I reached into my purse and pulled out my lipstick, looked at it in the palm of my hand and thought, 'Why isn't there a product as compact and reusable as my lipstick — but for my teeth?"

Flynn and her Co-Founder and COO Sonia Hounsell developed and patented FunkkOFF! TeethRefreshers with wine in mind, but now that the duo is receiving feedback from the community, they said that their unique product is for anyone who wants a fresh smile on-the-go without any of the hassle.

The product resembles a tube of chapstick in appearance and size and is filled with an all-natural tooth gel. FunkkOFF! TeethRefreshers can be reused up to 30 times, and the founders said the product is not only environmentally friendly, but the first of its kind.

You can learn more about Flynn and Hounsell's invention by tuning into ABC's Shark Tank Friday, Feb. 17 at 8 p.m.

READ MORE: Woman-Owned Business Debuts Product At Dana Point Wine Festival