Wearable battery-free theranostic dental patch for wireless intraoral sensing and drug delivery

Dental caries, a widespread non-communicable disease, is caused by oral microbiome dysbiosis and the increase of acidogenic bacteria. Early prevention and timely fluoride treatment are crucial. This research presents a miniaturized, battery-free, wearable dental patch for in situ sensing and controlled fluoride delivery. Using near-field communication (NFC), the patch wirelessly harvests energy and transmits data to smartphones. It electrochemically detects acidic microenvironments and delivers fluorides via an electric-responsive drug delivery electrode. This theranostic system offers a promising platform for point-of-care monitoring and treatment of dental caries and other oral diseases.

Zhenghan Shi, Yanli Lu, Shuying Shen, Yi Xu, Chang Shu, Yue Wu, Jingjiang Lv, Xin Li, Zupeng Yan, Zijian An, Chaobo Dai, Lingkai Su, Fenni Zhang, Qingjun Liu