When the parents of her young patients were frustrated by the number of cavities their children needed to be filled, orthodontist-turned-scientist Jilly Naveen had a flash of inspiration.
“They had tried everything the pediatric dentist had told them, but every time they went in, the dentist would find a lot of new cavities,” Naveen, associate professor of orthodontics at the Tufts University School of Dentistry and associate professor of biomedical engineering in the School of Engineering, told the school. “They told me, ‘If we could do a test at home to see when these early cavities start, then we could keep up with the dentist and not fill three to five teeth every time.’”
After about six years in dentistry, Naveen returned to school to earn a doctorate in structural biology, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship and an advanced degree in orthodontics. With that scientific foundation, she set out to solve the problem at its root.
Caries occur when the pH of the tooth surface drops below 5.5, which triggers demineralization. Our mouths are typically neutral, with a pH around 7. Early detection of caries is a challenge, as X-rays can typically only detect caries after about 30% of the enamel in a specific area has been damaged.
Naveh has invented a simple color-changing diagnostic toothpick tool that alerts users to early caries by detecting the acidic state of the tooth surface. Before using the toothpick tool, patients are asked to eat a sugary gummy. Bacteria on the teeth metabolize the sugar and release acid. If the tip of the toothpick inserted between teeth or in a suspected area changes from purple to yellow, it indicates that strong enough acid is present to cause demineralization.
This allows the dentist to target the area to eliminate cavity-causing bacteria and apply a high-mineral paste to help the enamel solidify again.
“It’s cheap, easy to use, and very intuitive,” Naveh says.
Her tool is now sold under the brand CaviSense, a startup company formed by Tufts University to commercialize the device, of which Naveh is a co-founder. The device was subsequently licensed in 2024. The toothpicks are currently in use in some dental offices and mobile clinics, and can also be purchased for home use through the company’s website.
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