Oral care system and method

1 . An oral care system comprising:

a toothbrush comprising a sensor configured to generate brushing data during a brushing session of a user;

a programmable processor configured to:

receive the brushing data from the sensor;

receive oral characteristic data indicative of a user-identified structural abnormality of the dentiture; and

determine at least one of a suggested brushing routine and a brushing evaluation for a brushing session based at least in part on the oral characteristic data and the brushing data;

wherein the user-identified structural abnormality is present in or adjacent to a first portion of the dentiture; and

wherein the brushing evaluation or the suggested brushing routine is based on or includes at least one of:

an altered target brushing time for the first portion of the dentiture, the altered target brushing time determined by altering a standard brushing time by a time offset that is based on the oral characteristic data; and

a modified brushing motion expectation for the first portion of the dentiture, the modified brushing motion expectation determined by modifying a standard brushing motion based on the oral characteristic data;

wherein the brushing data generated by the sensor is indicative of a brushing motion associated with the abnormality of the dentiture; and

wherein the altered target brushing time and the modified brushing motion expectation are determined during the brushing session based on both the user-identified structural abnormality and real-time brushing data indicative of interaction with the user-identified structural abnormality, the user-identified structural abnormality being at least one of: a missing tooth, a crooked tooth, or an extra tooth.

2 . The system according to claim 1 wherein the programmable processer is configured to both determine the suggested brushing routine and determine the brushing evaluation for the brushing session.

3 . The system according to claim 1 wherein the receiving of the oral characteristic data comprises:

presenting to the user, by a user interface that is operably coupled to the programmable processor, one or more questions or statements concerning at least one oral characteristic of the user; and

receiving the oral characteristic data as answers or responses to the one or more questions or statements, the answers or responses being selected by the user using the user interface.

4 . The system according to claim 1 wherein the oral characteristic further pertains to at least one of an oral sensitivity, a receding gum line, a tooth structure that traps plaque, plaque present at a first portion of the dentiture, a cavity, an erosion of one or more teeth, an oral injury or procedure, a type of bacteria present in the mouth, or an oral disease or malady.

5 . The system according to claim 1 wherein:

the oral characteristic is an oral sensitivity, a receding gum line, or an erosion of one or more teeth; and

the altered target brushing time is determined by decreasing the standard brushing time by the time offset.

6 . The system according to claim 1 wherein:

the oral characteristic is a tooth structure that traps plaque at the first portion of the dentiture of the user; and

the altered target brushing time is determined by increasing the standard brushing time by the time offset.

7 . The system according to claim 1 further comprising a user interface operably coupled to the programmable processor, the user interface being configured to display brushing instructions based on the suggested brushing routine, the brushing instructions comprising real-time directions for a user to follow during the brushing session.

8 . The system according to claim 1 further comprising a data processing unit, the data processing unit comprising the programmable processor.

9 . An oral care method comprising:

generating, via a sensor, brushing data during a brushing session of a user;

receiving oral characteristic data indicative of a user-identified structural abnormality of the dentiture;

determining, by a programmable processor, at least one of a suggested brushing routine and a brushing evaluation for a brushing session based at least in part on the oral characteristic data and the brushing data;

wherein the user-identified structural abnormality of the dentiture is present in or adjacent to a first portion of the dentiture; and

wherein the brushing evaluation or the suggested brushing routine is based on or includes at least one of:

an altered target brushing time for the first portion of the dentiture, the altered target brushing time determined by altering a standard brushing time by a time offset that is based on the oral characteristic data; and

a modified brushing motion expectation for the first portion of the dentiture, the modified brushing motion expectation determined by modifying a standard brushing motion based on the oral characteristic data;

wherein the brushing data generated by the sensor is indicative of a brushing motion associated with the abnormality of the dentiture; and

wherein the altered target brushing time and the modified brushing motion expectation is determined during the brushing session based on both the user-identified structural abnormality and real-time brushing data indicative of interaction with the user-identified structural abnormality, the user-identified structural abnormality being at least one of: a missing tooth, a crooked tooth, or an extra tooth.

10 . The method according to claim 9 wherein the receiving of the oral characteristic data comprises:

presenting to the user, via a user interface, one or more questions or statements concerning at least one oral characteristic of the user; and

receiving the oral characteristic data as answers or responses to the one or more questions or statements, the answers or responses being selected by the user using the user interface.

11 . The method according to claim 9 wherein the oral characteristic further pertains to at least one of an oral sensitivity, a receding gum line, a tooth structure that traps plaque, plaque present at a first portion of the dentiture, a cavity, an erosion of one or more teeth, an oral injury or procedure, a type of bacteria present in the mouth, or an oral disease or malady.

12 . The method according to claim 9 further comprising a user interface that displays brushing instructions based on the suggested brushing routine, the brushing instructions comprising real-time directions for a user to follow during the brushing session.

13 . An oral care system comprising:

a toothbrush comprising a sensor configured to generate brushing data during a brushing session of a user; and

a data processing unit comprising:

a programmable processor configured to:

receive oral characteristic data indicative of a user-identified structural abnormality of the dentiture;

determine for the user, based at least in part on the oral characteristic data and the brushing data, a suggested brushing routine; and

determine for the user, based at least in part on the oral characteristic data and the brushing data, a brushing evaluation for a brushing session;

wherein the user-identified structural abnormality is present in or adjacent to a first portion of the dentiture; and

wherein the brushing evaluation or the suggested brushing routine is based on or includes at least one of:

an altered target brushing time for the first portion of the dentiture, the altered target brushing time determined by altering a standard brushing time by a time offset that is based on the oral characteristic data; and

a modified brushing motion expectation for the first portion of the dentiture, the modified brushing motion expectation determined by modifying a standard brushing motion based on the oral characteristic data;

wherein the brushing data generated by the sensor is indicative of a brushing motion associated with the abnormality of the dentiture; and

wherein the altered target brushing time and the modified brushing motion expectation is determined during the brushing session based on both the user-identified structural abnormality and real-time brushing data indicative of interaction with the user-identified structural abnormality, the user-identified structural abnormality being at least one of: a missing tooth, a crooked tooth, or an extra tooth.

14 . The system according to claim 13 wherein the receiving of the oral characteristic data comprises:

presenting to the user, via a user interface, one or more questions or statements concerning at least one oral characteristic of the user; and

receiving the oral characteristic data as answers or responses to the one or more questions or statements, the answers or responses being selected by the user using the user interface.