We’ve written about a wide range of wearable biosensors during the past seven years. We covered wristbands, armbands, and headbands. We’ve seen broaches, necklaces, rings, glasses and hearables, and more. We’ve also noted dental health products such as an automatic toothbrush that does the job in 10 seconds, a smart toothbrush that analyzes and scores brushing habits, and even a smart denture. A tooth wearable, however, is a first for us.
Lura Health is a new venture supported by numerous institutions including Tufts University School of Dental Medicine. Company designers are developing a sensor that fits around a single tooth. The sensor is still in development and not approved for sale or distribution in the U.S. yet. The Lura sensor is designed to continuously monitors oral acidity. High acid levels promote tooth decay. When the patient’s acidity level is too high, the sensor sends a real-time alert to a mobile app to inform and warn the patient about the problem. Dentists who access a patient’s file via a web portal will see acidity levels over time and can use the data to advise patients on oral health strategies.
Lura Health intends to use tooth sensors to monitor saliva for more than tooth decay risk. According to a 2011 NYU study on Saliva as a Diagnostic Fluid, saliva diagnosis is an emerging field that utilizes nanotechnology and molecular diagnostics to aid in clinical diagnosis, disease monitoring, and patient-care planning for a wide range of oral and systemic diseases. Lura Health plans to expand its single-tooth wearable beyond dental health to include applications in fitness, hormones, allergens, oncology, and toxins.
