Abstract: The present invention provides a device for generating a non-thermal gas species which may be a flow of gas plasma in the form of a gas plasma plume emitted from the device. The device comprises a gas capsule, or pressure vessel for holding a gas or gases under pressure and forming a flow of gas through a reaction generator to an applicator when released from the capsule. Gas released from the gas capsule is energised in the reaction generator to form the gas plasma. The device is designed to be hand held and hand operated so that it may be used for cleaning and whitening teeth as well as other applications.

Abstract: The present invention provides a device for generating a non-thermal gas species which may be a flow of gas plasma in the form of a gas plasma plume emitted from the device. The device comprises a gas capsule, or pressure vessel for holding a gas or gases under pressure and forming a flow of gas through a reaction generator to an applicator when released from the capsule. Gas released from the gas capsule is energised in the reaction generator to form the gas plasma. The device is designed to be hand held and hand operated so that it may be used for cleaning and whitening teeth as well as other applications.

Abstract: An interdental treatment device comprises a generator 16 for generating a non-thermal gaseous plasma at a temperature suitable for use in oral treatment and an applicator 18 of the non-thermal plasma. The applicator 18 may comprise a hollow needle member for directing a jet of the non-thermal plasma interdentally. Alternatively the applicator 18 may comprise an interdental brush having a hollow head for receiving a non-thermal gaseous plasma, the head having at least one lateral opening for the discharge of the plasma. The generator 16 and applicator 18 may both form part of a hand-held device 10 having its own gas supply in the form of a capsule 12 containing pressurized gas and its own power supply in the form of a battery 20.

Abstract: An interdental treatment device comprises a generator 16 for generating a non-thermal gaseous plasma at a temperature suitable for use in oral treatment and an applicator 18 of the non-thermal plasma. The applicator 18 may comprise a hollow needle member for directing a jet of the non-thermal plasma interdentally. Alternatively the applicator 18 may comprise an interdental brush having a hollow head for receiving a non-thermal gaseous plasma, the head having at least one lateral opening for the discharge of the plasma. The generator 16 and applicator 18 may both form part of a hand-held device 10 having its own gas supply in the form of a capsule 12 containing pressurised gas and its own power supply in the form of a battery 20.

Abstract: The present invention provides a device 10 for generating a non-thermal gas species 24 which may be a flow of gas plasma in the form of a gas plasma plume emitted from the device. The device comprises a gas capsule, or pressure vessel, 12 for holding a gas or gases 14 under pressure and forming a flow of gas through a reaction generator 16 to an applicator 18 when released from the capsule. Gas released from the gas capsule is energised in the reaction generator to form a gas plasma. The device is adapted to be hand-held and operated to allow it to be used for instance for cleaning and whitening teeth.

Abstract: A method of oral treatment comprises passing a flow of a gas mixture from a pressure vessel containing the gas mixture through a generator of non-thermal plasma; applying a partially ionising electrical potential to the flow of the gas mixture in the plasma generator, and thereby forming a non-thermal gaseous plasma in the gas mixture, and causing the flow of the gas mixture downstream of the plasma generator to perform the oral treatment. The gas mixture comprises (a) a noble gas selected from helium and argon and mixtures thereof, and (b) an additive gas selected from water vapour, air, oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and nitric oxide and mixtures of any two or more thereof. The additive gas forms up to 1% by volume of the gas mixture. The oral treatment may be the cosmetic whitening of teeth, the non-clinical cleaning of teeth or the in situ cleaning of orthodontic braces, amongst others.

Abstract: A device 1 for delivering a partially-ionised first stream of gas, comprises a generator 24 of non-thermal plasma having a plasma generating chamber 25 defining a flow path therethrough for the first stream of gas and communicating downstream of the chamber with at least one first outlet 30 from the device for the partially ionised first stream of gas. The device 1 additionally comprises at least one second outlet 34 from the device for a second stream of gas, the configuration of outlets 30 and 34 enabling the second stream to shield the first stream downstream of the said first outlet 30. Interaction of the first stream of gas with the surrounding atmosphere is thus kept down.

Abstract: A method of making an active gas by generating a glow discharge, non-thermal plasma, in a gas mixture of a carrier gas and a more readily ionisable gas. The gas mixture is exposed to water vapour at or downstream from the generator to form the active gas. The gas mixture includes helium as the carrier gas and up to 40% by volume of at least one noble gas such as argon, krypton, or xenon as the more readily ionisable gas. The gas mixture is ejected at a temperature between 5° C. to 42° C. The active gas may be used for oral treatment such as cosmetic whitening of teeth, medical or non-clinical cleaning of teeth or for cleaning laundry or dishwashing items.

Abstract: The present invention provides a hand-held teeth treatment device 1. The device 1 comprises a base unit 2 which is configured to be hand-held and operated and at least one applicator 3 comprising an applicator head 4 for applying treatment to teeth. The applicator comprises a connecting portion 5 for engaging with a complementary connecting portion 6 of the base unit for connecting the applicator to the base unit. Treatment generating means 7 receives electrical energy from a source of electrical energy 8 for generating treatment for application by the applicator. The device may have a set of interchangeable applicators 3, each applicable to a different treatment. Treatment activation means 5, 6 allow activation of the treatment generating means only when the or one of the applicators 3 is connected to the base unit 2.

Abstract: A method of cosmetically whitening teeth in vivo comprises exposing the teeth to be whitened to a flow of non-thermal gaseous plasma at a temperature acceptable for oral administration of the non-thermal gaseous plasma and for a time sufficient for the non-thermal gaseous plasma to have a tooth-whitening effect. Repeated treatments may be performed. The non-thermal gaseous plasma may be formed of helium or a mixture of helium and oxygen.