Apparatus and method for photothermal destruction of oral bacteria

Oral hygiene apparatus for destroying sensitized oral bacteria, comprising:

• an incoherent light source, comprising a flash lamp;
• a light directing member, adapted for directing light from said light source onto at least part of a surface of at least one tooth within an oral cavity, said light being in an amount and at a wavelength effective to destroy bacteria but not to cause coagulation of blood vessels in the mouth;
• and
• a plurality of bristles coupled to said light directing member such that a first end of each of said plurality of bristles is optically coupled to said second end of said light guide and a second end of each of said plurality of bristles extends out of said terminal part for directing at least part of said light onto said at least part of said surface of said at least one tooth within said oral cavity.

Oral hygiene apparatus for destroying sensitized oral bacteria, comprising:

• an incoherent light source, comprising a flash lamp;
• a light directing member, adapted for directing light from said light source onto at least part of a surface of at least one tooth within an oral cavity, said light being in an amount and at a wavelength effective to destroy bacteria but not to cause coagulation of blood vessels in the mouth;
• and
• a dental floss like member optically coupled to said incoherent light source which member emits said light along its length.

An oral hygiene kit comprising:

• a substance including a stain for bacteria in a concentration sufficient to stain at least some bacteria remaining in the mouth;
• and
• an oral hygiene apparatus comprising:
• a light source which generates polychromatic radiation which is absorbed by the stain;
• and
• a light directing member, adapted for directing light from said light source onto at least part of a surface of at least one tooth within an oral cavity, said light being in an amount and at a wavelength effective to destroy bacteria, in conjunction with said substance but not to cause coagulation of blood vessels in the mouth.

Oral hygiene apparatus for destroying sensitized oral bacteria, comprising:

• an incoherent light source;
• a light directing member, adapted for directing light from said light source onto at least part of a surface of at least one tooth within an oral cavity, said light being in an amount and at a wavelength effective to destroy bacteria but not to cause coagulation of blood vessels in the mouth, wherein said light is directed to said tooth surface from an exit port of the light directing member;
• and
• including a dental floss like member optically coupled to the said incoherent light source which member emits light along its path.

A method for selective photothermal destruction of bacteria, the method comprising:

• selectively staining at least some bacteria by application of a suitable selective bacterial stain;
• and
• exposing at least some of said stained bacteria after said step of selectively staining to incoherent light, to photothermally coagulate said bacteria,
• wherein said incoherent light is band limited to exclude a portion of said light having wavelengths which are substantially absorbed by oxyhemoglobin.

A method for selective photothermal destruction of bacteria, the method comprising:

• selectively staining at least some bacteria by application of a suitable selective bacterial stain;
• and
• exposing at least some of said stained bacteria after said step of selectively staining to incoherent light, to photothermally coagulate said bacteria,
• wherein said incoherent broad band light is pulsed and wherein said pulsed incoherent broad band light has a frequency of pulsing in the range of 0.5-50 pulses per second, a pulse duration in the range of 0.1-10 milliseconds and an energy density in the range of 0.1-10 joule/cm2.

A method for selective photothermal destruction of bacteria, the method comprising:

• selectively staining at least some bacteria by application of a suitable selective bacterial stain;
• and
• exposing at least some of said stained bacteria after said step of selectively staining to incoherent light, to photothermally coagulate said bacteria,
• wherein exposing comprises:
• generating at least one pulse of incoherent broad band light from a pulsed light source including a gas discharge lamp or a flash lamp;
• modifying said at least one pulse of light to exclude a substantial portion of said at least one pulse of light, said portion having wavelengths which are substantially absorbed by oxyhemoglobin, to convert said at least one pulse of light into at least one band-limited light pulse;
• and
• directing said at least one band-limited light pulse onto said bacteria to photothermally coagulate said bacteria.