Light emitting toothbrush for oral phototherapy

摘要

Oral phototherapy applicators are disclosed that are sized and shaped so as to fit at least partially in a user's mouth with a plurality of bristles of elongate shape coupled to an apparatus body. The Applicators can be adapted to brush the user's teeth and further include at least one radiation emitter coupled to the body to provide phototherapeutic radiation to a portion of the oral cavity other than tissue in contact with the bristles. In one embodiment, the phototherapy emitter irradiates both a region of tissue in contact with the bristles and a portion of the oral cavity that is not in contact with the apparatus. For example, the apparatus can include at least one emitter that irradiates tooth tissue in contact with the bristles and gum tissue surrounding the tooth tissue.