LIVERPOOL scientists have developed a new device which will allow people to see the plaque on their teeth at home.
The team at the University of Liverpool have created a toothbrush-sized wand (Inspektor TC) with a blue light at its tip.
When shone around the mouth and viewed through yellow glasses, plaque glows up bright red against the yellow teeth. Professor Sue Higham, from the University’s School of Dental Sciences, said: “It is extremely difficult to get rid of all plaque in the mouth.
“Left undisturbed it becomes what we call ‘mature’ plaque and gets thicker. This is what leads to gingivitis, or bleeding gums, and decay.
“Early stage plaque is invisible, and so this device will show people the parts of the mouth hey are neglecting when they brush their teeth, enabling them to remove plaque before it becomes a problem.
“Inspektor TC is designed so that people can easily incorporate it into their daily dental hygiene routine at home. We now hope to work with industry partners to develop this prototype so that people can use it in the home to identify plaque before any serious dental work is needed.”
Dentists currently use tablets to uncover tooth decay and plaque but these often stain the mouth and taste unpleasant.
It is hoped the new product will be particularly useful for vulnerable people such as children and the elderly.
More than £45m is spent every year on children in the UK who have an average of 2.5 teeth filled or removed by the age of 15 because of tooth decay. Inspektor TC is produced in collaboration with dental and healthcare developers, Inspektor Research Systems BV, based in Norway.
The team has received a Medical Futures Innovation Award for the product.
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