Colgate Palmolive Company

Omron Healthcare Company Ltd.

Kosuke Abe

Hideaki Yoshida

Yasuhiro Kawabata

Masashi Kitamura

Hideyuki Yamashita

The plaque detecting device of the present invention comprises a light emitting unit () which irradiates ultraviolet or blue excitation light (L) toward the tooth surface (), and a first and second light receiving units () which receive radiated light (L′) from the tooth surface (). The first light receiving unit extracts the spectral component of a first wavelength region including the wavelength range of fluorescent light specific to plaque from the radiated light (L′), and obtains a first output value corresponding to the intensity of that spectral component. The second light receiving unit extracts, from the radiated light (L′), the spectral component of a second wavelength region containing the wavelength range of the fluorescent light specific to enamel and having a predetermined lower limit wavelength below the lower limit wavelength of the first wavelength region, and obtains a second output value corresponding to the intensity of this spectral component. Determination of the relative magnitude of the ratio between the first output value and the second output value as compared to a first threshold value is performed. Determination of the relative magnitude of the difference between the first output value and the second output value as compared to a second threshold value is performed.

Plaque detecting device and toothbrush incorporating same

A plaque detecting device including a light emitting unit which irradiates light toward a tooth, and first and second light receiving units which receive radiated light from the tooth. The first light receiving unit extracts the spectral component of a first wavelength region containing fluorescent light specific to plaque and obtains a first output value corresponding to intensity of that spectral component. The second light receiving unit extracts the spectral component of a second wavelength region containing fluorescent light specific to enamel and obtains a second output value corresponding to the intensity of this spectral component. Determination of the relative magnitude of the ratio between the first output value and the second output value as compared to a first threshold value is performed. Determination of the relative magnitude of the difference between the first output value and the second output value as compared to a second threshold value is performed.

The plaque detecting device of the present invention comprises a light emitting unit () which irradiates ultraviolet or blue excitation light (L) toward the tooth surface (), and a first and second light receiving units () which receive radiated light (L') from the tooth surface (). The first light receiving unit extracts the spectral component of a first wavelength region including the wavelength range of fluorescent light specific to plaque from the radiated light (L&#x2032;), and obtains a first output value corresponding to the intensity of that spectral component. The second light receiving unit extracts, from the radiated light (L&#x2032;), the spectral component of a second wavelength region containing the wavelength range of the fluorescent light specific to enamel and having a predetermined lower limit wavelength below the lower limit wavelength of the first wavelength region, and obtains a second output value corresponding to the intensity of this spectral component. Determination of the relative magnitude of the ratio between the first output value and the second output value as compared to a first threshold value is performed. Determination of the relative magnitude of the difference between the first output value and the second output value as compared to a second threshold value is performed.

Growing community of inventors

Kyoto, Japan

Kosuke Abe