Synergistic use of ultrasound and sonic motion for removal of dental plaque bacteria

Proving that an idea has merit for further investigation is one of the earliest steps in product development. This proof of concept can be effectively studied in a dynamic, multidisciplinary environment where ideas can be quickly tested in a manner related to final product use. In this article, the authors demonstrate the fecundity of a multidisciplinary environment by reviewing their early work that shows that ultrasound could be added to a power toothbrush to enhance the removal of dental plaque bacteria. They hypothesized that sonic brush head motion would generate bubbles in a dentifrice so that ultrasound beamed into that slurry would cause those bubbles to expand and contract in a manner that would dislodge the plaque bacteria adherent to the tooth surfaces. In this work, Streptococcus mutans bacteria adherent to various surfaces was used as a model of dental plaque on human teeth. Prototype power toothbrushes were created using commercially available and custom components so that the ultrasound and sonic processes could be individually modified and applied. Research demonstrated that the combination of sonic and ultrasound processes could synergistically remove S mutans biofilm. This finding established the proof of concept that eventually led to the development of a power toothbrush that uses both ultrasound and sonic activity.