Abstract: A shielding barrier (32) is carried by one or more electrodes (22) of a cleaning and/or treatment unit (12) for an oral care device, and arranged for interposing contact of an exposed conductive portion (25) of the electrodes (22) by other components or external objects. The shielding barrier is arranged such that the exposed conductive portion is still at least partially open to the environment surrounding the electrodes (22).

Abstract: Gag reflex when a mouthpiece of an oral care device contacts the posterior oral cavity is reduced by provision of a projection on the handpiece that contacts the user's skin in such a way that gag reflex is reduced or eliminated due to stimulation of nerves in the user's face. In an embodiment, the projection has a tip that contacts the user's face on or near the groove between the lower lip and the chin, exerting mechanical pressure, vibration, or electrical stimulation, which stimulates nerves to reduce the gag reflex.

Abstract: A personal care device (12) comprising an RF signal generator (32) for generating RF-frequency electromagnetic emissions for a cleaning or treatment function. The RF emissions may be output from a set of two or more RF electrodes (22) (e.g. electrodes) upon stimulation with an RF drive signal in a frequency range from 3 kHz to 30 GHz from an RF signal generator. The device further includes a controller (34) for detect a degraded functional state of the RF electrodes (22) via monitoring changes or variations in one or more electrical characteristics of the RF signal generator (32), e.g. drift in one or more electrical characteristics from reference factory levels, or sudden changes in the characteristics, indicating a short-circuit.

Abstract: A system for oral irrigation comprises a fluid delivery tube with a proximal end and a distal end. The proximal end is configured to receive fluids for oral irrigation. The system also comprises a nozzle at the distal end of the fluid delivery tube with an aperture for fluid delivery. The nozzle is configured to at least partially obstruct the flow of fluid from the fluid delivery tube through the nozzle when the aperture is in contact with a tooth relative to when the aperture is away from said contact. A pump is configured to pump fluids through the fluid delivery tube based on a pump configuration and a sensor is used for sensing a pressure or flow rate in the fluid delivery tube. A controller is configured to detect whether the nozzle is in an interdental space based on the sensor detecting a pressure drop or a flow rate increase in the fluid delivery tube and adjust the pump configuration based on the nozzle being in an interdental space.

Abstract: A subgingival cleaning system (10) for cleaning a subgingival region such as a periodontal pocket is disclosed. The system comprises a liquid flow source (60) for producing a liquid flow and a gas flow source (70) for producing a gas flow. Each of the liquid flow source and the gas flow source are coupled to a nozzle arrangement (40) arranged to be aimed at a subgingival region to be cleaned, the nozzle arrangement comprising at least one nozzle (41, 42, 43). The system is configured to produce a fluid stream comprising a series of liquid pulses from said liquid flow source, said liquid pulses each having a duration of 5-100 ms, preferably 8-40 ms, with an interval of 1-50 ms, preferably 2-10 ms, between subsequent liquid pulses; and a gas flow from said gas flow source at least partially filling said intervals. Also disclosed is a nozzle arrangement for forming such a subgingival cleaning system.

Abstract: An oral treatment device (10) for stimulating deposition of calcium phosphate from an amorphous calcium phosphate formulation in contact with a tooth (1) in an oral cavity is disclosed. The device comprises a first electrode (12) and a second electrode (14) spatially separated from the first electrode, wherein both the first electrode and the second electrode are arranged to contact the amorphous calcium phosphate formulation when the first electrode is arranged proximal to the tooth during use of the device; and the second electrode comprises a sacrificial material at least on its surface. Also disclosed is a kit of parts comprising the oral treatment device (10) and an ACP formulation and a method (100) for remineralizing a tooth using an amorphous calcium phosphate formulation.

Abstract: A system is provided. The system comprises an image projection device (6) configured to project display information; a wearable or hand-held device (100) which when worn is subjected to spatial movement; and a compensation element (7) configured to adjust the image projection device (6) based on the spatial movement such that the movement of the wearable or hand-held device (100) is compensated for during projection of the display information by the image projection device (6). Further, a method of spatially stabilizing display information projected by an image projection device (6) upon operation of a wearable or hand-held device is provided.

Abstract: An oral care system for sensing blood in an oral cavity and in gum tissue. The sensing is performed magnetically using a magnetic field source (16) and magnetic sensing arrangement (18) incorporated into a cleaning or treatment portion of an oral care device (e.g. a brush head of a toothbrush or mouthpiece part of a brushing mouthpiece device). The field source generates (16) a reference field and the sensing arrangement (18) is arranged to sense the field strength of the reference field at one or more spatial points. Since blood is magnetic, when brought into the reference field, it magnetically interacts with the field, which may alter field strength, field shape, or flux distribution. This enables presence of blood to be detected. It also allows for detecting specific oral features or disease states associated with presence of blood or abnormal amounts or concentrations of blood. For example, this can be based on application of detection criteria which relate to one or more properties of the sensed field.

Abstract: An apparatus for fluid delivery in oral irrigation comprises a fluid delivery tube with a proximal end and a distal end. The proximal end is configured to receive fluid for oral irrigation. A nozzle is placed at the distal end of the fluid delivery system and a mechanical valve is placed at the nozzle. The mechanical valve is closed in equilibrium and is configured to open when a force is applied to the mechanical valve by each of two neighboring teeth.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a controller (100) for generating a control signal for an oral care system (200), wherein the controller (100) is configured for receiving orientation data generated by the oral care system (200), wherein the orientation data describes at least one angle (102) between the oral care system (200) and a target tissue surface (300) in an oral cavity (400) or the angle relative to a reference vector, for instance the gravity vector, wherein the controller (100) is configured for comparing the received orientation data with at least one pre-defined orientation condition, and wherein the controller (100) is configured for generating a first control signal to trigger or adapt an oral care procedure performed by the oral care system (200) if the received orientation data fulfills the pre-defined orientation condition.

Abstract: The present invention relates to oral care. In order to improve the effectiveness of a flossing device, an interdental space detection component is proposed for detecting an interdental space. The interdental space detection component may be integrated in a brush head with integrated flossing function. The fluidic flossing function may selectively be switched on at the interdental space, thereby saving flossing fluid and preventing ineffective flossing outside the interdental space.

Abstract: An oral cleaning and/or treatment unit (10), e.g. a head for an oral cleaning and/or treatment device, includes electrodes (18a, 18b) for emitting RF energy for providing an oral cleaning and/or treatment function. The unit includes at least a first (14a) and second (14b) protruding member, which protrude in a same general direction away from a base or support structure (12). Each comprises one or more electrodes for generating an RF field. The protruding members are adapted to have a flexibility that permits the member to resiliently bend or deform in a direction perpendicular the direction of extension of the member out of the support surface (‘lateral direction’).

Abstract: An oral care device has a field generator adapted to generate an electric field in a mouth of a user, responsive to an input control signal. The electric field is for imparting a force upon particles forming a biofilm to be removed by the oral care device or upon cleaning agent particles. A cyclic control signal is generated for intermittent generation of an electric field at a first RF frequency. The use of an intermittent generation of an RF electric field means the force applied to particles (in particular polarized particles) by the field is itself cyclic. The cyclic nature of this applied force is found to be more effective in the disintegration of a biofilm to be removed, and hence makes subsequent mechanical removal, e.g. by brushing, easier.

Abstract: An oral care device (8) for use in aiding delivery of a substance for an oral treatment purpose within the mouth. The device comprises a field generator (16) which is adapted to generate a field (20) for exerting a force on particles (20) susceptible to the field to guide movement of the particles to a desired location. When operated in the mouth, this allows oral treatment particles to be quickly, safely and efficiently distributed within the mouth to the correct locations for performing the oral treatment function.

Abstract: The invention provides a mouthpiece for dental cleaning system and the dental cleaning system itself. The mouthpiece has a base and inner and outer arches. An actuator is for applying motion to the inner arch and/or the outer arch, relative to the base. A coupling arrangement converts motion of one of the inner and outer arches in one direction relative to the base to motion in an opposite direction relative to the base of the other of the inner and outer arches. By forming the mouthpiece as a central stationary base enveloped by two contour-following and moving arches, an anti-phase brushing motion at opposite tooth sites along the tooth arch is enabled, giving increased reach toward the molars as well as a reduction in device vibration in the mouth.

Abstract: An oral cleaning and/or treatment device includes electrodes for emitting RF energy for providing an oral cleaning and/or treatment function. The device includes a cleaning unit for receipt in an oral cavity which includes at least a first and second protruding member, which protrude in a same general direction away from abase or support structure. Each member comprises one or more electrodes or conductive elements for emitting RF energy. The device generates an RF field in a space between and around the electrodes by driving the electrodes with an RF signal generator. The device includes means, either mechanical or electrical, for varying a generated RF field pattern (e.g. spatial intensity distribution) between different settings. The device is in particular configurable in at least two modes or settings, each associated with a different respective field pattern or spatial intensity distribution. This is valuable for adapting the cleaning functionality to different required purposes.

Abstract: A nozzle unit (100) for oral healthcare is provided which comprises at least one nozzle orifice (5). The nozzle unit (100) is designed to be used in an oral irrigator and has at least one constructional feature configured to contribute to realizing a predetermined orientation of a flow (1) of irrigation fluid with respect to a subjects respective teeth (2, 3) and periodontal pockets when placed with the at least one nozzle orifice (5) in the vicinity of the subjects respective teeth (2, 3) at the position of interdental interfaces (4), namely an orientation from the at least one nozzle orifice (5) towards the periodontal pockets at a pocket inflow angle in a range of 10° to 50° and from the at least one nozzle orifice (5) towards the surface (7) of the subjects respective teeth (2, 3) at a surface impact angle in a range of 0° to 50°.

Abstract: Provided is a brush head for an oral cleaning device for cleaning teeth with a combination of brushing and emitting of a cleaning agent. The brush head comprises a bristle set for brushing the teeth and a nozzle for emitting the cleaning agent. When actuating the bristle set from a first configuration, which is optimized for brushing, to a second configuration, which is optimized for emitting of a cleaning agent, at least a part of the bristle 5 set is moved away from the nozzle and/or away from a path of the cleaning agent when being emitted from an orifice of the nozzle.

Abstract: There is provided a controller for use with an oral care device; wherein the controller is configured to estimate the location of the oral care device relative to an interdental space in a mouth using predetermined data and current use data, the current use data relating to at least one of: actions of the user during use of the oral care device, operations of the oral care device; and generate a control signal based on the outcome of the estimation. There is also provided an oral care system and a kit of parts, and a computer implemented method for an oral care device.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a fluid based tooth cleaning system (10) comprising a holdable body (20), a fluid delivery unit (30), at least one sensor (40) and a control unit (50). The holdable body is configured to be coupled to a head (60). The fluid delivery unit (30) is configured to be coupled to a nozzle (80) configured to emit fluid, and the nozzle (80) is comprised within the head (60). The at least one sensor (40) is configured to provide information, including velocity information, relating to the head (60) with respect to a user's teeth. The at least one sensor (40) is configured to provide the information to the control unit (50). The control unit (50) is configured utilize the information to enable the fluid delivery unit (30) to emit fluid from the nozzle (80) onto the user's teeth.