WO2018172103A1

WO2018172103A1 - Method and device for determining a condition of the mouth

Info

Publication number: WO2018172103A1
Application number: PCT/EP2018/055903
Authority: WO
Inventors: Andreas Bock; Thomas Welss; Matthias Frischmann
Original assignee: Henkel Ag & Co. Kgaa
Priority date: 2017-03-24
Filing date: 2018-03-09
Publication date: 2018-09-27
Also published as: DE102017205009A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a method in various embodiments for determining a condition of the mouth. The method can comprise: determining at least one mouth condition parameter, comprising: while exposing the oral cavity or a biological sample of a user to visible light and/or infrared light, capturing a spectrum and/or at least one image of at least one part of the visible light and/or infrared light that has interacted with the mouth, the exposure and capturing process being performable with a portable device; comparing at least one comparison region of the spectrum and/or the at least one image with calibration spectra and/or calibration images obtained for a plurality of calibration mouth samples; and determining the at least one mouth condition parameter using a result of the comparison and determining the condition of the mouth using the at least one mouth condition parameter.

Description

"Method and Apparatus for Determining Oral Condition"

The invention relates to a method and a device for determining a condition of the mouth and a method for determining a product for the treatment of teeth and / or gums.

Healthy and white teeth as well as a healthy gum stand for attractiveness, health and sympathy.

It is generally accepted that there is a causal relationship between the presence of dental plaque and in particular tartar and various diseases of the teeth and gums such as caries, gingivitis, halitosis or periodontitis.

The basis for a suitable prophylaxis is the brushing twice or more times per day in order to at least curb an undesirable deposit formation on the tooth surfaces and overall a bacterial infestation of the oral cavity.

However, just a few minutes after brushing, the new formation of the so-called pellicle layer on the tooth surface can be detected. It is a precipitate of proteins from saliva. The pellicle layer is not very worrying for dental health. However, further microorganisms from the salivary flora settle on the pellicle layer in the following, which leads to an increase in the thickness of the biofilm formed. This can also be harmful microorganisms settle. In this case, a matrix of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), in particular extracellular polysaccharides, arise, which is able to embed a wide variety of bacterial species on the tooth surface. The resulting cell layer is called plaque and promotes the occurrence of tooth decay.

From the plaque can be formed by the absorption and storage of inorganic substances (minerals) from the saliva calculus. The tartar promotes the occurrence of the above-mentioned diseases of the gums.

Soft plaque can still be removed by a consumer with toothbrush and toothpaste. The hard calculus can only be removed by a dentist.

It is virtually impossible for a consumer to understand and assess the success of the treatment, and thus the efficacy of oral hygiene products and / or their cleaning performance, particularly with respect to the removal of soft plaque. This can do this The motivation to perform a thorough cleaning treatment regularly and thoroughly decreases.

In many areas of daily life there has been a trend for some time to personalized programs and / or products that can respond to individual needs and requirements specifically, for example in a food or health care.

An object of the present invention was to provide a method for detecting a mouth condition of a user.

This object is achieved. A method for determining an oral condition, comprising:

Determining at least one oral conditional parameter comprising:

during exposure of the oral cavity or a biological sample of a user to visible light and / or infrared light, recording a spectrum and / or at least one image of at least a portion of the visible light and / or infrared light associated with components in the mouth of the user or the user has interacted with the biological sample, the exposure and the recording taking place by means of a portable device;

Comparing at least one comparison region of the spectrum and / or the at least one image with calibration spectra and / or calibration images obtained for a plurality of calibration samples; and

Determining the at least one oral condition parameter including a result of the comparison; and

Determining the oral condition using the at least one oral condition parameter.

The determination of oral condition can be direct or indirect. In an indirect determination of the condition of the mouth, biological material is taken from a user's mouth (swab) with the aid of a suitable aid, such as a spatula. The removal of the biological material is preferably carried out on the gum line. The biological material is then examined with the aid of the above-mentioned portable device.

In a direct determination of the condition of the mouth, the above-mentioned portable device is used directly in the mouth of a user. The light emitted by the portable device interacts with various components of the oral cavity, such as teeth, gums or tongue. The direct determination of the oral state has the advantage that more oral state parameters can be determined.

In various embodiments, determining the at least one oral condition parameter comprises determining a substance content and / or determining a ratio of substance contents. It may be preferred that the comparison region has at least one absorption wavelength of the at least one substance whose content and / or its ratio of contents is determined.

In various embodiments, the oral condition parameter is selected from the group consisting of tooth condition parameters and gum condition parameters.

In various embodiments, the at least one oral condition parameter is selected from the group consisting of

a water content;

a protein content;

a lipid content;

a polysaccharide content;

a lipopolysaccharide content;

a bacterial content;

a carbon dioxide content; and

an oxygen saturation.

Extracellular polymeric substances, particularly extracellular polysaccharides, play an important role in the formation of dental plaque. Extracellular polysaccharides have sticky, adhesive properties and can not be rinsed off with water. As a result, extracellular polysaccharides and bacteria adhere firmly to the tooth surface. It is therefore advantageous that the oral condition parameter comprises a polysaccharide content.

The extracellular polysaccharides include in particular glucans, such as mutans (o 1, 6-glucan) and / or dextrans, and / or fructans, such as Levane. It is therefore preferred that the oral condition parameter comprises a polysaccharide content, wherein the polysaccharide is selected from the group consisting of glucans, fructans, and mixtures thereof. It is particularly preferred that the oral condition parameter comprises a polysaccharide content, wherein the polysaccharide is selected from the group consisting of mutans, dextrans, levans, and mixtures thereof.

Besides extracellular polysaccharides, the extracellular polymeric substances may include extracellular proteins and / or extracellular lipids. In various embodiments, the oral condition parameter includes a protein content. It is also advantageous that the oral condition parameter comprises a lipid content. Gram-negative bacterial species release toxins and lipopolysaccharides that can directly damage the soft tissue, such as the gums. Lipopolysaccharides are relatively thermostable (heat-insensitive) compounds of fat-like (lipo) components and sugar components (polysaccharides). They are contained in the outer membrane of gram-negative bacteria.

It is advantageous that the oral condition parameter comprises a lipopolysaccharide content.

In various embodiments, the oral condition parameter may include a bacterial content. It is particularly advantageous that the bacterial content comprises the content of a bacterium and / or a bacterial strain.

It is known that bacteria such as Fusobacterium nucleatum promote the formation of biofilm on the tooth surface. It is also known that bacteria such as Aggregatibacter adtinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia, Tannerella forsythenesis or Treponema denticola have soft tissue destruction. Bacteria or bacterial strains contained in dental plaque include: Streptococcus such as Streptococcus salivarius, Streptococcus sanguinis, Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus anginosus strains such as Streptococcus anginosus, strains of the Streptococcus m / f / s group such as Streptococcus mitis, Actinomyces such as Actinomyces israelii, Actinomyces naeslundii or Actinomyces odotolyticus, Prevotella such as Prevotella oris, Prevotella oralis, Prevotella loescheii or Prevotella intermedia, Neisseria, Veillonella such as Veillonella parvula, Fusobacterium such as Fusobacterium nucleatum, Rothia, Propionibacterium acnes, Micromonas micros, Eubacterium such as Eubacterium nodatum, Eubacterium timidum or Eubacterium brachy, Camphylobacter such as Camphylobacter rectus, Wolinella, Treponema, Peptostreptococcus such as Peptostreptococcus anaerobius, Tannerella forsythia or Dialister pneumosintes ,

It is particularly advantageous that the oral state parameter includes a bacterial content of Aggregatibacter adtinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia, Tannerella forsythenesis, Treponema denticola, Streptococcus salivarius, Streptococcus sanguinis, Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus anginosus, Streptococcus mitis, Actinomyces israelii, Actinomyces naeslundii Actinomyces odotolyticus, Prevotella Prevotella oralis, Prevotella loescheii Prevotella intermedia, Neisseria, Veillonella parvula, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Rothia, Propionibacterium acnes, Micromonas micros, Eubacterium nodatum, Eubacterium timidum, Eubacterium brachy, Camphylobacter rectus, Wolinella, Treponema, Peptostreptococcus anaerobius, Tannerella forsythia and / or Dialister includes pneumosintes. The oxygen saturation of the gums allows conclusions about a microcirculation of the gums and / or possible inflammations. In various embodiments, the oral condition parameter may include oxygen saturation of the gum.

The content of carbon dioxide in the gums plays a crucial role in the bacterial colonization of the gingival margin. In various embodiments, the oral condition parameter may include a carbon dioxide content of the gum.

In various embodiments, the visible light and / or infrared light may have electromagnetic radiation in a range of 380 nm to 150,000 nm. The wavelength range of 780 nm to 150,000 nm is part of the wavelength range called infrared. In a preferred embodiment, the visible light and / or infrared light has electromagnetic radiation in a wavelength range from 780 nm to 150,000 nm.

The wavelength range from 8,000 nm to 150,000 nm is also referred to as long-wavelength infrared (LWIR). In a preferred embodiment, the visible light and / or infrared light has electromagnetic radiation in a wavelength range of 8000 nm to 150,000 nm.

In various embodiments, the visible light and / or infrared light may have electromagnetic radiation in a range of 380 nm to 8000 nm. The wavelength range from 3,000 nm to 8,000 nm is also called mid-infrared (English: mid wavelength, MWIR). In a preferred embodiment, the visible light and / or infrared light has electromagnetic radiation in a wavelength range of 3,000 nm to 8,000 nm. In various embodiments, the visible light and / or infrared light may have electromagnetic radiation in a range of 3,000 nm to 8,000 nm, and the at least one oral condition parameter may include a bacterial content.

In various embodiments, the visible light and / or infrared light may comprise electromagnetic radiation in a range of 380 nm to 3000 nm. The wavelength range from 1400 nm to 3000 nm is also referred to as short-wave infrared (English: short wavelength, SWIR). In a preferred embodiment, the visible light and / or infrared light has electromagnetic radiation in a wavelength range from 1400 nm to 3000 nm. In a more preferred embodiment, the visible light and / or infrared light comprises electromagnetic radiation in a wavelength range of 1400 nm to 3000 nm, and the at least one oral condition parameter may have a water content. In various embodiments, the visible light and / or infrared light may comprise electromagnetic radiation in a range of 380 nm to 1400 nm. The wavelength range from 780 nm to 1400 nm is also referred to as near-infrared (NIR). In a preferred embodiment, the visible light and / or infrared light has electromagnetic radiation in a wavelength range from 780 nm to 1400 nm.

In various embodiments, the visible light and / or infrared light may comprise electromagnetic radiation in a range of 380 nm to 780 nm. In various embodiments, the visible light and / or infrared light may have electromagnetic radiation in a range of 380 nm to 780 nm, and the at least one oral state parameter may have oxygen saturation.

In various embodiments, the visible light and / or infrared light may have electromagnetic radiation in a range of 380 nm to 780 nm, and the at least one oral condition parameter may have a tooth color.

For determining the at least one oral state parameter and / or for determining the oral state, software such as an app can be used in various embodiments, which can be installed, for example, on a portable data processing device. The measuring device, which may include, for example, a spectrometer and / or a camera, e.g. for the IR region, for a portion of the IR region and / or the range of visible light, may be coupled to or integrated with the data processing device. By means of the measuring device relevant parameters in the mouth, in particular relevant parameters to the teeth and / or the gums can be measured, for example a water content, a protein content, a lipid content, a polysaccharide content, a lipopolysaccharide content, a bacterial content, a carbon dioxide content and / or an oxygen saturation.

In various embodiments, by means of the portable data processing device, e.g. by means of the software / app, the determined parameters as values (e.g., with arbitrary units), as a verbal message, as a graphical representation, or the like. be presented or communicated.

In various embodiments, at least one oral hygiene product may be recommended to the user based on the determined oral condition. The oral hygiene product may be capable of maintaining or improving the user's oral condition. In various embodiments, the oral hygiene product may include a toothpaste, a mouthwash, a mouthwash, an agent, particularly a gel for application to the teeth and / or the gums, an oral spray, and / or a chewing gum. The oral hygiene product can too a special toothbrush such as an interdental brush, a toothbrush for implants or dentures, or a tongue cleaner.

In various exemplary embodiments, based on the determined oral state parameters and / or on the basis of the determined oral condition, product recommendations for individual oral hygiene products and / or individual care instructions for the oral cavity (such as individual toothbrushing techniques) can be derived. The oral hygiene product recommendations and / or care instructions for the oral cavity may be obtained, for example, by software, e.g. an app.

In various embodiments, the software / app that determines the oral condition parameter and / or the oral condition may be the same that determines the oral hygiene product recommendation and / or the oral care care instructions. In various embodiments, different software programs / apps may be used for a portion of the various operations or all of the various operations (determining the at least one oral condition parameter, determining the oral condition, determining a product recommendation, determining a care indication).

In various embodiments, a treatment success in a treatment, which may have a positive effect on the determined oral condition parameters or the determined oral condition, can be monitored. In various embodiments, the software / app may enable control and / or tracking of the results by presenting (e.g., plotting) the measurement results over time.

In various embodiments, in determining the oral hygiene product and care recommendations, information may also be used regarding a general health, a condition of the teeth (presence of restorations, dentures and / or braces), eating habits and other user behaviors (e.g., smoking habits, etc.), e.g. by means of the software / app.

In various embodiments, literacy data may be used to assess a suitability of an oral hygiene product and / or a care indication for maintaining the oral cavity, particularly teeth and / or gums, with a given oral condition.

In various embodiments, a quality score may or may not be associated with each oral condition or a plurality of oral conditions. An oral hygiene product and / or a care indication may be considered appropriate for a mouth condition if it is to be expected For example, based on literature data, test results or empirical values that in a (eg regular) use of the oral hygiene product and / or the care advice for the oral cavity of the user's oral state is maintained or changes to a mouth state with a higher quality value.

In various embodiments, an assessment of a suitability of an oral hygiene product to improve a mouth condition may be confirmed or modified by including experience of other users having the same or a similar oral condition, for example, experience of treatment success. Preferably, the other users besides the same or similar oral state also have the same or a similar profile in terms of age, sex and / or behavior. This can make it possible for the user to always receive an optimal recommendation.

In various embodiments, it may be possible to control and track the effectiveness of a tooth or gum treatment in an objective and standardized manner. In various embodiments, the treatment of the teeth and / or the gums may in particular have the goal of lowering a bacterial content and / or a lipopolysaccharide content and / or polysaccharide content and / or improving oxygen saturation of the gums.

In various embodiments, efficacy of treating the teeth and / or gums may be better understood, thereby facilitating or facilitating selection of an individually appropriate oral hygiene product.

In various embodiments, a user's motivation may be increased to perform a treatment in the longer term, for example, by comparison with other users, e.g. by information about treatment success provided by the other users.

In various embodiments, the at least one oral condition parameter may include a plurality of oral condition parameters.

In various embodiments, determining the oral condition may include determining a single oral condition involving the plurality of oral condition parameters.

In various embodiments, exposing the oral cavity may include exposing a plurality of areas in the user's oral cavity. In various embodiments, the plurality of mouth regions may include at least one tooth region and at least one gingival region.

In various embodiments, the portable device may be integrated with a portable computing device or coupled to a portable computing device.

In various embodiments, the portable device may be coupled to the portable data processing device via wireless data transmission, wherein the portable data processing device may be configured to determine the at least one oral state parameter by initiating the determination, by an external data processing device, the at least one oral state parameter, and / or at least one oral condition, and wherein the apparatus may be further configured to receive the at least one determined oral condition parameter and / or the at least one oral condition and to provide the user with the portable data processing apparatus.

In various embodiments, the external computing device may be a cloud.

In various embodiments, there is provided a method of detecting an oral hygiene product, particularly a dental and / or gingival treatment product, the method comprising: determining a mouth condition according to various embodiments, and determining the product based on the determined oral condition and a database a plurality of oral conditions and a plurality of associated products, wherein each oral state of the plurality of oral conditions may be associated with at least one suitable product.

In various embodiments, each oral condition may be associated with a quality score, and the oral hygiene product may be suitable for at least one oral condition of the plurality of oral conditions, when based on stored experience with the oral hygiene product, an improvement or maintenance of the quality of oral status is expected.

In various embodiments, the method may further include updating the database based on new experience from a plurality of users. In various embodiments, determining the at least one oral state parameter and / or determining the oral state may include transmitting the spectrum and / or the at least one map and / or the result of the comparison to an external computing device and receiving the oral state parameter and / or the oral state ,

In various embodiments, an apparatus for determining a condition of the mouth is provided. The apparatus may comprise: a portable light source for exposing a mouth or biological material from a mouth to light, the light having visible light and / or infrared light; a portable recording device, the recording device having a spectrometer for recording at least one spectrum and / or a camera for recording at least one image of at least a portion of the visible light and / or the infrared light which has interacted with constituents of the oral cavity or of the biological sample and a portable data processing device, wherein the portable data processing device may be configured to determine at least one oral state parameter based on the acquired spectrum and / or the acquired image, wherein the portable data processing device may be configured to determine a mouth state based on the at least one oral state parameter ,

Components of the oral cavity include, for example, teeth, gums, or the tongue. Preferably, the visible light and / or the infrared light interacts with at least one tooth and / or with at least one region of the gum.

In various embodiments, the light source and the receptacle may form an integrated unit.

In various embodiments, the light source and / or the pick-up device may form an integrated unit with the portable data processing device.

In various embodiments, the at least one image may comprise a plurality of images, and the portion of the visible light may have a different wavelength range for each image of the plurality of images.

In various embodiments, the apparatus for determining a condition of the mouth may include a portable light source for exposing a oral cavity and / or a biological sample to light. The light may have visible (VIS) light and / or infrared (IR) light in various embodiments. Here, "visible light" electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength in a range of about 380 nm to 780 nm to be understood. By "infrared light" is meant electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength in the range of from about 780 nm to about 1 mm Further, the terms commonly used in the art may be VIS-NIR for a wavelength range of about 380 nm to about 1400 nm and / or NIR for a wavelength range of about 780 nm to about 1400 nm and / or SWIR for a wavelength range of about 1400 nm to about 3000 nm and / or MWIR for a wavelength range of about 3000 nm to about 8000 nm and / or LWIR for a wavelength range of about 8,000 nm to about 150,000 nm are used.

In various embodiments, the visible light and / or infrared light may have electromagnetic radiation in a range of 380 nm to 150,000 nm.

In various embodiments, the device for determining a condition of the mouth may comprise a portable receiving device. In various embodiments, the portable receptacle may include a spectrometer for receiving at least a spectrum of visible light and / or infrared light. In various embodiments, the portable receptacle may include a camera for capturing at least one image of visible light and / or infrared light. In various embodiments, the portable capture device may include both the spectrometer and the camera and / or an imaging spectrometer (which may receive a spectrum for each pixel of a two-dimensional image). In this case, the recorded light may comprise at least a portion of the light which has been emitted by the portable light source into the oral cavity or on the biological material and has interacted with the teeth and / or the gums in the oral cavity or the biological material.

In various embodiments, the device for determining a mouth condition may comprise a portable data processing device. The portable data processing device may be, for example, a smartphone, an iPad, a tablet, a laptop, or the like. The portable data processing device may include a processor and a memory in various embodiments. The data processing device may in various embodiments be coupled to the light source and to the recording device, for example in such a way that a data exchange between the data processing device and the light source and between the data processing device and the recording device is made possible. By means of the coupling, for example by means of a data cable, an internal conductive connection and / or wireless transmission, eg WLAN, ZigBee, thread or Bluetooth, control commands can be transmitted from the data processing device to the light source and / or the recording device, for example, and recorded data, For example, at least one recorded spectrum and / or at least one image can be transmitted or transmitted from the recording device to the data processing device. The portable data processing device may be configured in various embodiments to determine at least one oral state parameter based on the recorded spectrum and / or the recorded image. Furthermore, in various embodiments, the portable data processing device may be configured to determine a mouth state based on the at least one oral state parameter. In various embodiments, the portable data processing device may be configured to itself, ie directly, to determine the at least one oral state parameter and / or the oral state.

In various embodiments, the portable data processing device may be configured to indirectly determine the at least one oral condition parameter and / or the oral condition, for example by providing the acquired spectrum, the captured image and / or the oral state parameter to an external data processing device that may be configured, the oral state parameter and / or to determine the oral state from the provided data, and receiving a mouth state parameter and / or a mouth state from the external data processing device. The oral condition parameter and / or the oral condition may be provided to the user after direct or indirect determination, e.g. by means of displays, e.g. on a screen of the data processing device.

In various embodiments, the light source, the capture device, and / or the data processing device may form a portable integrated unit. For example, the light source and the capture device may form an integrated unit coupled to the data processing device, or the light source and the data processing device may form a portable integrated unit, and the capture device may be coupled to the light source data processing device, or the capture device and the data processing device may form a portable integrated unit, and the light source may be coupled to the cradle data processing device, or the light source, the cradle, and the data processing device may form a portable integrated unit.

The "Changhong H2" smartphone of Sichuan Changhong Electric Co., Ltd. has an embedded miniaturized NIR spectrometer and is an example of the embodiment in which the light source, the pickup device, and the data processing device constitute a portable integrated unit.

The (N) IR spectrometers, VIS spectrometers and / or (N) IR / VIS spectrometers can be provided in particular in mobile form, for example in the form of handheld spectrometers ("handheld"). or tower spectrometers. In these spectrometers, the light source and the recording device form an integrated unit.

An example of a suitable hand-held spectrometer is the "MicroNIR OnSite" from Viavi Solutions Inc. This spectrometer is powered and controlled by a tablet or a laptop via a USB port.This hand-held spectrometer allows a measurement time of between 0.25 and 0.5 seconds of real-time (near) infrared spectra of a user's teeth, gums, or biological material.The spectrometer has two integrated vacuum tungsten lamps and a 128-pixel InGaAs photodiode array "MicroNIR OnSite" operates in a wavelength range of 950 to 1,650 nm. The distance between the hair and the glass of the handheld spectrometer can be between 0 and 15 mm, with a distance of 3 mm being preferred.

In one embodiment of the invention, the entire procedure for determining a mouth condition is performed by the tablet or laptop powering and controlling the "MicroNIR OnSite" spectrometer. Alternatively, the acquired spectroscopic data can be sent to another (portable) data processing device, in particular another smart terminal, which then carries out the method for determining a condition of the mouth. The transmission of the spectroscopic data can, for example, wirelessly via WLAN (WiFi) or Bluetooth.

Another suitable hand-held spectrometer is the "i-Spec Nano" from B & W Tek The spectrometer is powered by a USB port and a connected (portable) data processing device or a battery powered by a light source operates in a wavelength range of 1,300 to 2,200 nm. The transmission of the spectroscopic data to a (portable) data processing device, which then performs the method for determining a condition of the mouth, can be wireless via WLAN (WiFi) or Bluetooth.

Also suitable is the NIR / VIS hand spectrometer "QualitySpec Trek" from ASD Inc. This works in a wavelength range from 350 to 2500 nm.

Another suitable hand-held spectrometer is the "SCiO by Consumer Physics", which displays the spectroscopic data on a data processing device, in particular on a smart terminal, with the aid of the integrated app "SpectroScan".

Still other suitable hand-held spectrometers are available from Attonics Systems, which operate either in wavelength ranges of 380 to 1100 nm (VIS-NIR) or from 1000 to 3000 nm (NIR / SWIR). These spectrometers are based on interferometers and have a high Light throughput and a high spectral resolution (<5 nm for VIS-NIR spectrometer and <20 nm for the NIR spectrometer) on. The spectrometers comprise a multi-phase shift array (MPA) chip and an optical arrangement in a circular tube. Furthermore, the spectrometers are compatible with portable computing devices.

Further examples of VIS-NIR spectrometers are the miniature spectrometers "USB2000-VIS-NIR" and "USB4000-VIS-NIR" from Ocean Optics. This spectrometer operates with a wavelength range of 350 to 1000 nm. The spectrometers are connected to a data processing device via a USB port.

In addition, there are a number of NIR sensors or NIR evaluation modules that can be used in handheld spectrometers. Suitable NIR evaluation modules are the modules "DLP® NIRscan" and "DLP® NIRscan Nano" from Texas Instruments. These have two tungsten lamps and InGaAs photodiodes as detectors. The "DLP® NIRscan" module operates in the wavelength range from 1 .350 to 2,490 nm and the "DLP® NIRscan Nano" module in the range from 900 to 1,700 nm. The spectroscopic data is communicated wirelessly via Bluetooth Low Energy. With the help of "Software Developer Kits" (SDK), for example the Open Source SDK from KST Technologies, apps can be developed that evaluate or process the spectroscopic data.

Further suitable NIR sensors are available under the name "NeoSpectra" from Si-Ware Systems Concrete sensors include: NeoSpectra SW62221-1.7, NeoSpectra SW62221-2.1 and NeoSpectra SW62221-2.5, which operate in different wavelength ranges.

In various embodiments, the light that has interacted with at least one component of the oral cavity, such as a tooth or region of the gums, or the biological material of a user after it has been emitted from the light source into the oral cavity or on the biological material, at least have an absorption structure. The absorbent structure may be caused by at least one substance present on the teeth and / or on the gum and / or gum which absorbs a portion of the light emitted to the mouth at at least one wavelength characteristic of the substance (also referred to as the absorption wavelength). At least a portion of the remaining light may be reflected, scattered or, in general terms, emitted from the teeth, gums or biological material to the receiving device and as light interacting with the teeth and / or gums in the mouth or biological material , be referred to as received light or as received light.

In various embodiments, the substance may include water, a lipid (eg, triglyceride, cholesterol ester, phospholipid, cholesterol), oxygen (eg, based on oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobin), a polysaccharide (eg, dextran, mutan, levan), a lipopolysaccharide, a bacterium (eg, Aggregatibacter adtinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia, Tannerella forsythenesis, Treponema denticola, Streptococcus salivarius, Streptococcus sanguinis, Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus anginosus, Streptococcus Mitsis, Actinomyces israelii, Actinomyces naeslundii Actinomyces odotolyticus, Prevotella oris, Prevotella oralis, Prevotella loescheii Prevotella intermedia, Neisseria, Veillonella parvula, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Rothia, Propionibacterium acnes, Micromonas micros, Eubacterium nodatum, Eubacterium timidum, Eubacterium brachy, Camphylobacter rectus, Wolinella , Treponema, Peptostreptococcus anaerobius, Tannerella forsythia, Dialister pneumosintes), or be or have a protein and / or other substance.

Typical absorption wavelengths may be, for example, water: each near or around 970 nm, 150 nm, 1450 (or 1440) nm, and 1900 (or 1940) nm; Lipids (for determining a lipid content and / or a lipid composition): each near or around 930 nm, 1040 nm, 1200 (or 1210) nm, 1400 (or 1390) nm and 1700 (or 1730) nm; Hemoglobin (to determine oxygen saturation): each near or around 420 nm and 585 nm (oxygenated hemoglobin) and respectively near or around 440 nm and 550 nm (deoxygenated hemoglobin).

In various embodiments, an absorption intensity, i. a measure of what fraction of the light irradiated by the mouth or biological material is picked up by the receptacle, a substance-specific absorption coefficient, and an amount of the substance on the teeth and / or gums and / or may be present in the biological material, depending. For example, the absorption intensity may be proportional to the amount of the substance.

In various embodiments, in which at least one image of the oral cavity or of the biological material is used to determine the at least one oral state parameter, at least one filter can be used for each wavelength range to be examined, wherein the filter between the oral cavity or the biological material and a Detector of the recording device can be arranged and can be set up to let reach only the light of the wavelength range to be examined the detector. The at least one filter can be embodied as a narrow-band filter, which transmits essentially only light in the wavelength range of an absorption feature or in a similarly narrow reference range without absorption feature to the detector. The images taken by the detector in the respective wavelength ranges are referred to below as the absorption image or reference image. In other words, in various embodiments, the at least one image may have a plurality of images, and the detected portion of the light that interacts with the teeth, gum, or biological material may be different for each image of the plurality of images Wavelength range, wherein at least a first detected part of the light may have a wavelength range in which a relevant absorption feature may be, and a second detected part of the light may have a wavelength range in which may be no absorption feature or a merely insignificant absorption feature.

In various embodiments, a signal of the absorption image may be compared to, for example, by calibration measurements, known intensity emitted by the light source as the light in the absorption image wavelength range to determine an absorption intensity and therefrom a content of the absorbent as a mouth condition parameter ,

In various embodiments, a signal of the absorption image may be compared with a signal of the simultaneously or sequentially recorded reference image to determine the absorption intensity and therefrom the content of the absorbent as the oral condition parameter.

For example, in various embodiments, the filters may transmit the light to the detector in the wavelength ranges described above as examination regions of the spectrum. The reference regions may, in various embodiments, be chosen to be close to the wavelength range of the absorption image, have a similar broad wavelength range as this, and be free or substantially free of absorption features.

In various exemplary embodiments, the at least one oral state parameter can be determined by means of a simulation spectrum. In various embodiments, a simulation spectrum can be generated in which, for example starting from the known spectrum, based on at least one predetermined content of at least one substance, the spectrum can be calculated, which would result if the known spectrum with the teeth, the gums or the would have interacted with the given substance content. The recorded spectrum can be compared with the simulation spectrum, for example, a mean square deviation of the two spectra can be determined. In various embodiments, simulation spectra may be generated for a plurality of predetermined levels of the substance, and by minimizing the mean square deviation, the content of the substance whose simulation spectrum has the smallest deviation from the recorded spectrum can be determined as the determined content of the substance. In various exemplary embodiments, the recorded spectrum can be examined completely by means of the simulation spectrum, to a large extent, which may for example have a plurality of absorption features, or to a small part which has only a single absorption feature or, for example, two or more separate wavelength ranges.

In various embodiments, contents of different substances can be investigated simultaneously by means of the simulation spectrum. For example, in the simulation spectrum, absorption by water having a predetermined water content can be simulated simultaneously with absorption by polysaccharide having a predetermined polysaccharide content. With a plurality of simulation spectra generated in this way, both the contents of water or polysaccharide and their ratio can be changed. The simulation spectrum can be compared with the recorded spectrum, and from the spectrum with the least deviation both the water and the polysaccharide content can be determined. By limiting a comparison of the spectra to areas in which the relevant absorption features are located, a reliability of the result can be increased when using the simulation spectrum.

In various embodiments, instead of absorption of water and / or polysaccharide, or in addition, absorption characteristics of other or further substances can be investigated, for example by taking them into account simultaneously in a single simulation spectrum, or by multiple simulation spectra, for example for different wavelength ranges, each one or may have multiple absorption features generated.

In various embodiments, using an imaging spectrometer, determining the at least one oral state parameter may include utilizing one or more spectra acquired for a plurality of pixels, as described above for the spectrometer data, and / or using one or more mappings comprising Pixels can be formed for a spectral range, have.

In various embodiments, determining the at least one oral state parameter, for example as described above, may be determined directly by means of the portable data processing device, e.g. by means of the software / app, which may be installed on the portable data processing device.

In various embodiments, by means of the portable data processing device, for example by means of the software / app, the at least one determined oral state parameter can be provided. The at least one oral state parameter can be used, for example, as a value (eg with arbitrary units), as a verbal communication, as a graphic representation, or similar. communicated, eg displayed, for example by means of displays, eg on a screen of the portable data processing device.

In various embodiments, determining the at least one oral state parameter, for example, as described above, may be done indirectly by the portable computing device, for example, by having the portable computing device cause the at least one oral state parameter to be determined by an external computing device. In various embodiments, the spectrum and / or imaging may be provided by the portable computing device of the external computing device, such as a central computer or cloud, which may, for example, have higher computing power and / or storage capacity than the portable computing device; eg is transferred to this. The external data processing device may be configured to extract the at least one oral state parameter from the provided data, e.g. the spectrum and / or the image, for example by means of software, e.g. an app, for example as described above. In various embodiments, the portable computing device may be further configured to receive and provide the at least one oral state parameter from the external computing device, for example, as described above. For data exchange with the external data processing device, the portable data processing device in various embodiments may comprise a device for wireless data transmission device, e.g. via WLAN or Bluetooth. In various embodiments, the portable data processing device may be configured to exchange the data with the external data processing device by means of a cable connection.

In various embodiments, the portable data processing device may be configured to determine a mouth state based on the at least one oral state parameter.

In various embodiments, the portable data processing device may be configured, itself, i. directly to determine the at least one oral condition, for example by means of software, e.g. an app that can be installed on the portable data processing device.

In various embodiments, the portable data processing device may be configured to indirectly determine the at least one oral state, for example by the portable data processing device determining the oral state by means of the external data processing device, eg by means of software, eg an app, on the external Data processing device may be installed, for example, similar to the above described for determining the at least one oral state parameter.

In various embodiments, the software / app for determining the oral state parameter may be the same as the software / app for determining the oral state. In various embodiments, e.g. in a case that the at least one oral state parameter is detected by the external data processing device, whereas the oral state is determined by the portable data processing device, or vice versa, different software / apps may be used to determine the at least one oral state parameter and to determine the oral state become.

In various embodiments, determining the oral condition may include comparing the at least one determined oral condition parameter to entries of a database that may include a plurality of oral conditions each having at least one associated oral state parameter. In various embodiments, more than one oral condition parameter may be associated with one or more of the oral conditions. The assignment may be experimental, e.g. in laboratory tests. Examples of oral conditions may include, for example, strong dental plaque, having at least one associated value for polysaccharide content as the oral condition parameter, bacterially-stressed gums, at least one assigned value for a bacterial content, or at least one associated value for a lipopolysaccharide content as the oral condition parameter or at least one inflamed gum assigned value for an oxygen saturation or with at least one associated value for a carbon dioxide content as the oral state parameter, and various other or other oral conditions.

The database may be stored in various embodiments in the portable data processing device and / or in the external data processing device.

When determining the oral state, that oral state can be determined as the oral state of the user, whose associated oral state parameter shows the smallest deviations from the determined oral state parameter (s).

In various embodiments, at least one suitable oral hygiene product and / or at least one oral hygiene care indication may be assigned to each of the plurality of oral conditions. The assignment may, for example, be determined experimentally, eg in laboratory experiments. In various embodiments, for judging a suitability of an oral hygiene product and / or an indication for maintaining the oral cavity, in particular the teeth and the gums; with a given oral state literature data are used as a basis.

In various embodiments, each of the oral conditions may or may not be associated with a quality score. An oral hygiene product and / or a care indication for the oral cavity may be judged suitable for a mouth condition when it is expected, e.g. based on literature data, test results, or empirical data, that the mouth state of the user is maintained or changes to a higher quality oral condition in a (e.g., regular) use of the oral hygiene product and / or oral care.

In various embodiments, an assessment of a suitability of an oral hygiene product to improve a mouth condition may be confirmed or modified by including experiences of other users having the same or a similar oral condition, for example, experience of treatment success. The empirical values can be provided by the other users, for example the external data processing device, for example by means of a wireless data transmission. Alternatively, a transmission of the data by means of cable can be used. Based on the empirical values, the database can be updated in the external data processing device and / or in the portable data processing device. This can make it possible for the user to always receive an optimal recommendation.

In various embodiments, in determining the oral hygiene product and / or oral hygiene recommendations, further information regarding a general health condition, a mouth condition, eating habits (e.g., coffee, red wine, tea, etc.) and other user behaviors (e.g., smoking habits, etc.) may be used, e.g. by means of the software / app installed on the portable data processing device and / or on the external data processing device. The information can be requested by the user in various embodiments by means of the portable data processing device, which can enter it into the portable data processing device, for example by means of a keyboard, as a voice message, as a selection from a menu displayed by the portable data processing device, or the like.

For example, if the user provides as additional information that he smokes a lot, in the oral hygiene product and / or oral hygiene recommendation based on the oral state of the user, for example, those associated oral hygiene products Users are recommended, for example, with special fragrances to neutralize the smell of tobacco smoke are provided.

In various exemplary embodiments, as described above, based on the determined oral state parameters and / or on the basis of the determined oral condition, product recommendations for individually fitting oral hygiene products and / or individual care instructions for the oral cavity can be derived. The oral hygiene product recommendations and / or care instructions for the oral cavity may be obtained, for example, by software, e.g. an app.

The user can be offered a recommended oral hygiene product directly for sale and the user can initiate the purchase by entering the purchase. In addition to the purchase of recommended oral hygiene products, the user can also be offered further information on the purchase. This further information may refer to more detailed treatment and application instructions. For example, a software / app receives the request that the user wants to purchase the oral hygiene product, stores the request, and / or submits the request to a trading company that distributes the oral hygiene products. The user may be prompted by the software / app to enter his personal data (address, bank information, delivery preference, etc.) via the input unit. Alternatively, the user can be indicated where (for example, drugstore, pharmacy, etc.) he can purchase the oral hygiene product. For example, the software / app may be the same software or app that performs the method of determining a mouth condition.

In various embodiments, an ordering procedure may be initiated, preferably by accessing a website of a manufacturer of individual oral hygiene products.

The individual oral hygiene products may be a product made specifically for the user or a so-called "mass customized" product, but a customized product may be individualized by varying a few, but from a user's point of view essential, characteristics of an oral hygiene product , Preferably, these "mass customized" products are based on the concept of modularization, which means that the oral hygiene product can be put together individually from various modules / building blocks.

Often, there are many dependencies between the many different features / ingredients of a product, which can be expressed as "commandments" or "prohibitions." In order to obtain a clear product definition, it may be advantageous for the ordering process to proceed with the aid of a product configurator. This configurator helps the user to select the characteristics / ingredients and draws his attention to the permissible / impermissible feature combinations, whereby the latter can not be selected. For oral hygiene products, in particular oral and dental oral hygiene products, the relevant product characteristics include, in particular, the chemical ingredients of the compositions, the physical properties of the compositions, and the make-ready of the compositions. With the help of a product configurator, for example, the selection of chemically and / or physically incompatible ingredients or the selection of the determined oral condition of unsuitable ingredients can be avoided. Conversely, the selection for the determined oral condition of suitable ingredients may be predetermined or suggested by the product configurator.

It is also preferred that the composition of the individual oral hygiene product be stored and used in subsequent procedures for a long term recommendation.

The oral care instructions may include, for example, recommendations regarding toothbrushing technique or frequency. Alternatively, a visit to a dentist, for example, to perform a professional teeth cleaning, be recommended. In various embodiments, a booking process can be initiated directly via the software / app. For this purpose, for example, the contact details of dentists can be stored in the software / app and these are displayed to the user. In addition, the selection can be restricted via filters, such as the postal code. In various embodiments, a booking can be made directly via the software / app. Alternatively, a dentist's appointment can be made using a separate software / app.

The method for determining an oral condition can be carried out in particular in the private sector by a user. Alternatively, the method of determining a mouth condition by another person, for example at the point of sale of oral hygiene products or as part of a dental visit. In this case, the user is the person being examined.

Claims

claims

A method for determining an oral condition, comprising:

Determining at least one oral conditional parameter comprising:

during exposure of the oral cavity or a biological sample of a user with visible light and / or infrared light, recording a spectrum and / or at least one image of at least a portion of the visible light and / or the infrared light, which contains ingredients in the mouth or in the biological Sample has interacted with the user, wherein the exposure and the recording takes place by means of a portable device;

Determining the oral condition using the at least one oral condition parameter.

2. Method according to claim 1,

wherein determining the at least one oral state parameter comprises determining a substance content and / or determining a ratio of substance contents.

3. The method according to claim 2,

wherein the comparison region has at least one absorption wavelength of the at least one substance whose content and / or its ratio of contents is determined.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3,

wherein the oral state parameter is selected from the group consisting of tooth state parameters and gum state parameters.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4,

wherein the at least one oral condition parameter is selected from the group consisting of

a water content;

a protein content;

a lipid content;

a polysaccharide content;

a lipopolysaccharide content;

a bacterial content; a carbon dioxide content; and

an oxygen saturation.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5,

wherein exposing the oral cavity comprises exposing at least one tooth and / or one or a plurality of gum areas of the user.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6,

wherein the portable device is integrated in a portable data processing device or can be coupled to a, preferably portable, data processing device.

8. A method for determining a product for dental and / or gum treatment, comprising: detecting a condition of the mouth according to any one of claims 1 to 7; and determining the product based on the determined oral condition and a database having a plurality of oral conditions and a plurality of associated products, wherein each oral condition of the plurality of oral conditions is associated with at least one suitable product.

9. The method according to claim 8,

wherein each mouth condition is associated with a quality score, and the product is suitable for at least one oral condition of the plurality of oral conditions, when based on stored experience with the product, an improvement or maintenance of the quality status of the oral condition is expected.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

Update the database based on new experience from a majority of users.

1 1. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 10,

wherein determining the at least one oral state parameter and / or determining the oral state comprises transmitting the spectrum and / or the at least one map and / or the result of the comparison to an external data processing device and receiving the oral state parameter and / or the oral state.

12. A device for determining an oral condition, comprising:

a portable light source for exposing a mouth or biological sample to light, the light having visible and / or infrared light;

a portable recording device, wherein the recording device, a spectrometer for recording at least one spectrum and / or a camera for recording at least one image of at least a portion of the visible light and / or the infrared light that has interacted with constituents of the oral cavity or the biological sample;

a portable data processing device;

wherein the portable data processing device is arranged to determine at least one oral state parameter based on the recorded spectrum and / or the recorded image;

wherein the portable data processing device is configured to determine a mouth state based on the at least one oral state parameter.

13. Device according to claim 12,

wherein the light source and the recording device form an integrated unit.

14. Device according to claim 12,

wherein the integrated unit is coupled to the portable data processing device by wireless data transmission;

wherein the portable data processing device is configured to determine the at least one oral state parameter by initiating the determination, by means of an external data processing device, the at least one oral state parameter and / or the at least one oral state; and

wherein the device is further configured to receive the at least one determined oral state parameter and / or the at least one oral state and to provide the user with the portable data processing device.

15. Device according to one of claims 12 to 14,

wherein the at least one image comprises a plurality of images, and wherein the portion of the visible light has a different wavelength range for each image of the plurality of images.