Oral hygiene is very important for health and well-being of humans. The global market of home dental hygiene products is more than 30 billion USD world-wide, with an estimated increase of 8% annually (CAGR). Several recent studies have proved that salivary pH is a diagnostic biomarker of oral and even some gastroenterological diseases. The deviation of salivary pH from the normal value of ±7.2 indicates pathological status. However, the self-measurement of salivary pH is very difficult, even impossible, since no device is commercialised for this purpose. Salivary pH is now usually measured from spittle using pH indicator paper (lacmus which is toxic if placed into the mouth). This measurement is not accurate enough, and difficult to carry out by patients at home. We have designed and developed an easy-to use medical device for measuring the salivary pH in the mouth. The new device is revolutionary, ergonomic, have data storage and transfer capabilities, connection to smart devices, accurate (0.1 pH), ball-pen-sized and accessible for the visually impaired (Braille writing). We have protected the design and participated in several start-up events, where we won different local awards. The Medika device is ground-breaking, creating new market, as it will be the first self-measurement device for measuring salivary pH at home. As a medical device (with official certification) it will help dentists to measure and record the pH of saliva for large number of patients routinely and remotely before and after dental surgery. Its use by the wide public will prevent or avoid worsening of several oral and gastroenterological diseases. The aim of the phase 1 project was to make a feasibility study for both the technical and business development actions planned for the commercialisation of the Medika device: to specify the software and the prototype, to prepare for clinical validation, to refine our business plan and to prepare the project plan for an SME Instrument Phase 2 application.
