Gingival crevicular fluid absorbing brush

A method for collecting or harvesting a Gingival Crevicular Fluid (GCF) sample from a gingival sulcus of a patient, comprising:

• inserting a new absorbing brush holder into a head of a hand-held instrument;
• grasping an inclined handle which terminates in a main horizontal segment of said hand-held instrument;
• positioning an inclined segment of said hand-held instrument within an oral cavity of said patient, said inclined segment being adjacent to said main horizontal segment at an end opposite said inclined handle;
• positioning said head of said hand-held instrument such that an absorbing brush is inserted into said gingival sulcus of said patient;
• holding said head of said hand-held instrument in place such that said absorbing brush absorbs said GCF sample resident within said gingival sulcus;
• retracting said head of said hand-held instrument such that said absorbing brush exits said gingival sulcus of said patient;
• removing said inclined segment from said oral cavity of said patient;
• detecting a visual indication in said absorbing brush of a presence of biomarkers or proteins associated with periodontitis;
• and
• removing said absorbing brush holder from said head of said hand-held instrument and placing said absorbing brush holder in a container.