This simple $25 device can encounter tooth decay at a dentist – scienceblog.com

A dentist who is frustrated by the time of the decay that is often detected has invented a discolored toothpick that can change dental care by capturing attenuation weeks or months before drilling and filling is required.

The pocket device developed by a Tufts University professor is a dual appointment in dental and engineering, allowing patients and dentists to detect the earliest stages of dental demineralization, which ultimately leads to cavity.

“Every tooth you drill into is never for life,” said Gili Naveh, an associate professor of orthodontics in biomedical engineering at Tufts University’s School of Dental Medicine and Engineering. “If we can capture the cavity early and prevent drilling, it will extend the life of the teeth. ”

Traditional dental X-rays capture the cavity only after about 30% of the enamel has been compromised. Drilling and filling were usually the only options at that time. Naveh’s invention, called Cavisense, may identify the problem area weeks or months ago, while simple recall treatments can still reverse the damage.

The device works by detecting the acidity level between teeth. After the patient eats sugary gummy, any harmful bacteria present will start to produce acid. When the tooth is inserted into the thin, flat tip of the tooth, it changes from purple to yellow if the pH drops below 5.5 (the threshold at which the tooth enamel begins to dissolve).

“It’s cheap, easy to use, and very visual,” Naveh explained. “There are demineralized surfaces between the teeth and some patients will like objective tools they can see with their own eyes.”

Innovation stems from the unusual career path of Naveh. After six years of practice, she received her Ph.D. In the field of structural biology, completed a postdoctoral fellowship and received an advanced degree in orthodontics. Now, she divides her time between clinical orthodontics and scientific research.

While her lab usually focuses on periodontal ligaments that connect the teeth to the jawbone, the idea of ​​cavisense comes from more direct patient needs. The parents of one of her orthodontic patients were frustrated, even though their children needed to fill multiple times in each dental visit at the advice of their dentist.

“They tried everything the pediatric dentist told them, but whenever they took the exam, the dentist found so many new cavity,” Naff said. “They told me, ‘If we could test at home and see when these early cavity starts, we could go to the dentist on time without having to have three to five fillers per trip.”

Capturing rot early will not only prevent drilling but also open up milder treatment options. “No drilling, no filling, no anesthetics – you just apply some polish on your teeth and it will make it work,” Naff said. “It’s better for everyone.”

Naveh founded a startup last year to bring the invention to market. The company has been using pediatric dental practices to incorporate tools into its workflow, and the toothpicks are now available directly to consumers. People can buy five toothpicks on the Cavisense website for $25, as well as an app to help record and interpret results.

For parents who want to check all the surfaces of their teeth at once, Naveh and her team are developing a more comprehensive solution – a fillable fillable tray that shows the point of failure through the same color-changing technique. The team hopes to provide this new cavity tester to consumers by mid-2025.

“We can enable people to test whether they have cavity at home and then go to the dentist in time to stop the decay and even heal the teeth,” Naveh said. “Everyone will be happier — Cade, parents and even dentists because they are able to provide faster and better treatments to help more patients.”