Support server for the healthy life extension support system

Abstract

To provide a system for supporting maintenance and promotion of health in an oropharyngeal area for extending healthy life expectancy.SOLUTION: A support server: obtains, from a terminal with a sensor of an individual user, information for acquiring daily functions of living tissues, states of health and actual conditions of care in an oropharyngeal area; obtains, from the terminal of the individual user and a computer of an institution having information of the user, information for acquiring an actual state of the user's awareness and knowledge regarding the oropharyngeal area and user information such as the user's general attributes, general health conditions, and treatment history; analyzes information for acquiring the latest and past functions of living tissues, states of health and actual conditions of care in the oropharyngeal area, and the actual state of the awareness and knowledge, based on the user information; generates information useful for extending healthy life expectancy of the user at the time of providing the analyzed information; and provides it to the user terminal.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a system for supporting the extension of a user's healthy lifespan by providing information and services useful for extending the user's healthy lifespan to the user's terminal via a network. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, attention has been focused on "extending healthy lifespan," which can lead to reductions in medical and nursing care costs. Healthy lifespan refers to the period of life during which an individual can live an independent life, excluding the period during which the individual depends on daily and continuous medical care and nursing care. Various methods have been proposed for evaluating and calculating this healthy lifespan and for determining the risk of developing lifestyle-related diseases (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2).

[0003] Chewing food, swallowing, saliva secretion, and the like have a large impact on the brain and the entire body, and are factors that greatly affect mental and physical health and healthy lifespan. Maintaining and improving the health of the oral cavity and pharyngeal region should ultimately extend healthy lifespan. However, there has yet to be anything provided that supports the maintenance and promotion of the health of the oral cavity and pharyngeal region with the aim of extending healthy lifespan, and currently there are only proposals for supporting the care of the oral cavity and pharyngeal region (oral care) based on the function and health state of the biological tissues in the oral cavity and pharyngeal region (see, for example, Patent Document 3). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2005-265 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2016-174715 A [Patent Document 3] JP 2017-60661 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In view of the above-mentioned situation, the present invention aims to provide a system that supports the maintenance and promotion of health in the oral and pharyngeal regions with the aim of extending healthy life expectancy. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In light of the current situation, the inventor has conducted intensive research and has come to the realization that maintaining and improving physiological functions and maintaining and improving hygienic conditions in the oral cavity and pharyngeal regions is essential for extending a healthy lifespan. He has discovered that by analyzing information available from an individual user's sensor-equipped measuring means to grasp the daily function and health state of biological tissues in the oral cavity and pharyngeal regions and the actual state of care, as well as the actual state of awareness and knowledge regarding the oral cavity and pharyngeal regions, and by providing this information to the user as appropriate, it is possible to realize an information provision system that can greatly contribute to extending the healthy lifespan of each user.

[0007] That is, the present invention includes the following inventions. (1) A support system for extending healthy lifespan, comprising a support server that analyzes information capable of grasping the function and health state of biological tissues in the oral cavity and pharyngeal region, the actual state of care, and the actual state of awareness and knowledge thereof, based on one or more pieces of user information selected from the user's own general attributes, overall health state, treatment history, dietary habits and lifestyle habits, the actual state of exercise habits, behavior at bedtime, and psychological state, and provides useful information and services for extending the healthy lifespan of the user to the user's terminal via a network at the time of providing the analyzed information for each individual user, wherein the support server has a function, state, and care actual state information acquisition unit that acquires, from the sensor-equipped terminal of each user via the network, information capable of grasping the daily function and health state of biological tissues in the oral cavity and pharyngeal region of the user, the information being continuous or intermittent in a time series and obtained on a daily basis by the sensor, and an information acquisition unit that acquires, from the terminal of each user or a computer of an institution that holds the user's information, the information capable of grasping the daily state of awareness and knowledge of the user regarding the oral cavity and pharyngeal region, a user information acquisition unit that acquires, via a network from an individual user's terminal or a computer of an institution that holds user information, one or more pieces of user information selected from the user's general attributes, overall health condition, treatment history, dietary habits and lifestyle habits, actual exercise habits, behavior at bedtime, and psychological state; an oral cavity and pharynx information storage unit that stores the acquired information that allows for grasping the daily function and health condition of the biological tissues in the oral cavity and pharynx, the actual care status, and the actual consciousness and knowledge status; a user information storage unit that stores the acquired user information; a useful information generation unit that analyzes, based on the user information, the latest and past information that allows for grasping the function and health condition of the biological tissues in the oral cavity and pharynx, the actual care status, and the actual consciousness and knowledge status, and generates information that is useful for extending the healthy lifespan of the user at the time of providing the analyzed information; and an information transmission unit that transmits the generated useful information to the user's terminal via the network.

[0008] (2) The support system for extending healthy life expectancy described in (1), wherein the useful information includes one or more pieces of information selected from the following information (i) to (vi): (i) Evaluation information and improvement proposal information regarding the user's oral care status, (ii) general information on the level of functioning of vital tissues in the oral and pharyngeal region, the state of oral hygiene, and the possible effect on physical and mental health of the patient of the presence or severity of oral diseases; (iii) Information regarding possible future risks to the user's physical and mental health based on the user's current oral and pharyngeal condition and methods for preventing and improving such risks; (iv) information about services to maintain and improve the function of the user's oral and pharyngeal area; (v) An assessment of the user's actual lifestyle, diet, and exercise habits, and the risks to future mental and physical health that can be inferred from those habits, as well as information on methods for improving those habits and support proposals for maintaining and improving those habits; (vi) Information regarding sleep habits or improvement services that may adversely affect the function or condition of the user's oral and pharyngeal area. Effect of the Invention

[0009] According to the present invention as described above, an information provision system can be realized that can provide a user with information useful for maintaining and improving the physiological functions and hygienic conditions in the user's oral and pharyngeal regions in a manner suitable for extending the user's healthy lifespan, thereby making a significant contribution to extending the healthy lifespan of each user. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of a support system according to a representative embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a support server in the support system. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of a user terminal in the support system. [Figure 4] FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a sensor device serving as a user terminal. [Diagram 5] FIG. 11 is a flow diagram showing the procedure from generation of useful information in the support server to transmission of the useful information to the user terminal. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. The support system of the present invention is a system that analyzes information that can grasp the function and health state of biological tissues in the oral cavity and pharyngeal region, the actual care state, and the actual awareness and knowledge state based on one or more pieces of user information selected from the user's general attributes, overall health state, treatment history, dietary habits and lifestyle habits, actual exercise habits, behavior at bedtime, and psychological state, and provides information and services useful for extending the healthy lifespan of the user to the user's terminal via a network, which are used at the time of providing the analyzed information to each individual user.

[0012] In the support system of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, a support server 1 and individual user terminals 2 are communicatively connected via a network N such as the Internet, and various types of information are exchanged. The support server 1 is further communicatively connected via the network N to an institution's computer (institution computer 3) that holds user information, and various types of information are exchanged.

[0013] The user terminal 2 may be a terminal with a sensor (sensor device 21), a personal computer, a smartphone, or other such information terminal 22. The support server 1 can receive information acquired by a sensor-equipped terminal serving as the user terminal 2, or information manually input by a user via an input means of the information terminal 22 serving as the user terminal 2. As shown in Fig. 3, a system that receives information from a sensor-equipped terminal may be a system that receives various information acquired by the sensor device 21 directly, or via a charging / storage stand (docking station 23) that wirelessly communicates with the sensor device 21, or the user's personal computer / smartphone or other such information terminal 22.

[0014] As shown in FIG. 2, the support server 1 is composed of one or more computers equipped with a processing device 10 and a storage means 11. Specifically, a conventional, widely used computer device can be used, which is composed of the processing device 10 at the center, storage means 11, a communication control unit 12, and input operation means (not shown) such as a pointing device, keyboard, and display.

[0015] The processing device 10 is mainly composed of a CPU such as a microprocessor, and has a storage unit consisting of RAM and ROM (not shown) in which programs defining the procedures of various processing operations and processing data are stored. The storage means 11 consists of a memory or a hard disk inside or outside the support server 1. A part or all of the contents of the storage unit may be stored in a memory or a hard disk of another computer connected to the support server 1 for communication.

[0016] The processing device 10 is broadly divided into a function, condition and care status information acquisition unit 10a that acquires, from a sensor-equipped terminal (user terminal 2) of each user via a network N, information that allows for grasping the daily function, health status and care status of the user's biological tissues in the oral cavity and pharyngeal region, and that is continuous or intermittent in a time series manner and is obtained daily by the sensor; an awareness and knowledge status information acquisition unit 10b that acquires, from the terminal 2 of each user or the institutional computer 3 that holds the user's information via the network N, information that allows for grasping the user's awareness and knowledge status regarding the oral cavity and pharyngeal region; The system includes at least a user information acquisition unit 10c that acquires one or more pieces of user information selected from the user's general attributes, overall health condition, treatment history, dietary habits and lifestyle habits, actual exercise habits, behavior at bedtime, and psychological state through the user information acquisition unit 10c; a useful information generation unit 10d that analyzes the acquired information that can grasp the latest and past functions and health conditions of biological tissues in the oral cavity and pharyngeal region, actual care, and actual awareness and knowledge based on the acquired user information, and generates information useful for extending the user's healthy lifespan at the time of providing the analyzed information; and an information transmission unit 10e that transmits this generated useful information to the user terminal 2 via the network N and provides it to the user terminal 2, and these processing functions are realized by the above-mentioned program.

[0017] The storage means 11 includes at least an oral cavity and pharyngeal information storage unit 11a that stores information that enables understanding of the daily function and health state of the biological tissues in the oral cavity and pharyngeal regions, the actual care status, and the actual consciousness and knowledge status acquired by the function, condition, and care status information acquisition unit 10a and the consciousness and knowledge status information acquisition unit 10b, a user information storage unit 11b that stores the user information acquired by the user information acquisition unit 10c, and a useful information storage unit 11c that stores useful information for extending the user's healthy lifespan generated by the useful information generation unit 10d.

[0018] The information on the function and health status of the biological tissues of the oral cavity and pharyngeal region of the user that the function, condition and care actual status information acquiring unit 10a acquires from the user's sensor-equipped terminal (sensor device 21) includes, for example, oral movement information (teeth grinding, chewing, chewing force, swallowing mouth movement range), occlusal force (occlusal pressure) and occlusal state as occlusal function, chewing ability, chewing frequency and mandibular movement ability as chewing function, throat movement and swallowing force as swallowing function, tongue function, and the like. These conditions include tongue movement ability, tongue pressure, and blood flow rate, saliva condition such as pH and buffering capacity (ability to maintain pH in the normal range), amount of saliva secreted, dryness of the oral cavity and throat area, calcium ion concentration in saliva, serum antibody titer for oral bacteria, amount of immunoglobulin, amount of active oxygen, stickiness of the oral cavity, types and concentrations of major gases as a condition of bad breath, tooth condition such as size of the embrasure space (opening area), tooth surface color, number of remaining teeth, and color and blood flow rate as a condition of the gums.

[0019] More specifically, the bite force (bite pressure) of the occlusal function can be obtained by measuring myoelectric potential, biting with a piezoelectric sensor, or measuring myoelectric potential of the jaw or temple. The bite state can be obtained by acquiring an image and analyzing it with AI. As with bite force (bite pressure), chewing ability can be obtained by measuring myoelectric potential, biting with a piezoelectric sensor, or measuring myoelectric potential of the jaw or temple. The number of chews can be obtained by measuring the jaw movement or the myoelectric potential generated during chewing using image analysis, myoelectric potential acceleration, distance sensor, etc. Mandibular motor ability can be obtained by the myoelectric potential when the jaw is moved. The throat movement as a swallowing function can be obtained by myoelectric potential and photoelectric sensor. Swallowing force can be obtained by measuring the myoelectric potential when the throat is moved. Tongue pressure can be obtained by measuring the pressure when a probe with a piezoelectric sensor or pressure sensor is held between the tongue and jaw. Tongue blood flow can be measured by pressing a probe with an SpO2 photoelectric sensor against the tongue.

[0020] The pH and buffering capacity of saliva can be obtained by using sensor device 21 equipped with a probe equipped with a pH sensor and holding the probe in the oral cavity. The amount of saliva secreted and the dryness state of the oral cavity and throat area can be obtained by using sensor device 21 equipped with a probe equipped with a capacitance sensor (impedance measurement) and holding the probe in the oral cavity.

[0021] The types and concentrations of main gases that cause bad breath can be obtained by using sensor device 21 equipped with a gas / breath sensor nozzle and having the user blow breath into the nozzle. The size (opening area) of the embrasure between teeth, the color of the tooth surface, the number of remaining teeth, and the color of the gums can be obtained by having the user hold sensor device 21 equipped with a sensor that performs spectral analysis of the light absorption pattern of near-infrared light in the mouth of the user and by performing color discrimination and color discrimination by image analysis. The blood flow rate of the gums can be obtained by having the user place sensor device 21 equipped with an SpO2 sensor in the mouth of the user.

[0022] In addition, the information that the function / condition / care status information acquisition unit 10a acquires from the user's sensor-equipped terminal (sensor device 21) and that enables the actual status of care to be grasped includes, as the pattern of tooth brushing behavior, the date and time of toothbrushing acquired by a switch signal, the brushing time acquired by a timer, the brushing part acquired by a gyro sensor, the brushing speed acquired by an acceleration sensor, and the brushing pressure acquired by a strain gauge or pressure sensor.

[0023] Examples of such sensor devices 21 that can be used include various oral devices with sensors, such as a terminal with a sensor that grasps the tissue function level related to chewing, swallowing, saliva secretion, tongue movement, occlusion state, chewing or swallowing behavior while eating, or behavior while sleeping, a toothbrush attachment terminal of the oral care support system described in JP 2017-60661 A, and a "GrindCare (registered trademark)" terminal for a sensor-equipped bruxism (teeth grinding, clenching) prevention product (manufactured by Sunstar Suisse SA, related patents: European Patent No. 1610862, U.S. Patent No. 8160689, U.S. Patent No. 9149226, etc.).

[0024] The sensor device 21 can be configured, for example, as shown in Figure 4, with a processing device 24 at its core, a memory means 25, an input / output unit 26, an image input unit 27, a display / notification unit 28, and a wireless / wired communication unit 29, and can be a device that obtains biological information, behavioral information, and care behavior information inside and outside the oral cavity and pharynx using the sensors of the input / output unit 26 and the image input unit 27.

[0025] More preferably, the device has the following configuration. That is, the power is turned on by turning on the switch, by removing the device from the docking station 23, or by detecting motion with an acceleration or biosensor. The device can be used by multiple users, and individual recognition is performed using a personal recognition button or a biosensor. The status of the sensor device 21 (battery level, usage time, wearing status, etc.) is transferred to an information terminal 22, which is also a user terminal 2, such as a smartphone, by a wireless / wired communication unit 29 using short-range wireless communication (ANT+, Bluetooth, ZigBee, IrDA, etc.) together with information acquired from the sensor of the input / output unit 26. When used online, the sensor information is transferred to the information terminal by short-range wireless communication, and behavioral information that the user immediately wants, such as tooth brushing behavior, teeth grinding behavior, and heart rate status, is displayed on the information terminal.

[0026] Preferably, it can also be used offline, and information obtained from the sensor of the input / output unit 26 is temporarily stored in a storage means 25 such as an EEPROM. When communication with an information terminal 22 such as a smartphone or a charging / storage stand (docking station 23) becomes possible, the data is transferred. When the storage capacity of the storage means 25 exceeds a certain threshold, the storage means 25 has a means for notifying the user. The data in the EEPROM is erased by transferring it to the information terminal 22. Alternatively, if the data is used without transferring it after notifying the user, the data is erased. When used online, the data does not need to be stored in the EEPROM.

[0027] If it can be used offline, for example, if the brush pressure is excessive when brushing the teeth, the processing device 24 can notify the user of this, and the processing device 24 is provided with a calculation function (calculation unit) for carrying out this function. It is also preferable to have a display / notification unit 28 that diagnoses and notifies the user of any improper installation of the sensor device 21, disconnection of the information terminal, malfunction, remaining battery level determination, etc. Notification to the user can be made by means that appeal to the senses of hearing, sight, and touch, such as an alarm, a flashing LED, an image using an LCD / EL, or vibration.

[0028] It is also preferable that the sensor device 21 or the charging / storage stand (docking station 23) has a function of sampling a specimen such as saliva. For example, a user samples a specimen and sends the specimen with an ID assigned to it to an institution that performs specimen testing. The ID assignment is performed on the support server 1 side, and the information is assigned when sampling is performed.

[0029] The information terminal 22, typified by a PC or smartphone, can be widely used. It can display biological information inside and outside the oral cavity and pharynx, behavioral information, care behavior information, advice information, and product information, and can input information such as the user's attributes, overall health condition, and behavior diary through an input unit such as a keyboard and a microphone. It can also import customer information and product information as image information from an image input unit such as a built-in camera or barcode reader. It can instantly display care behavior, the current condition around the oral cavity and pharynx, and also display the results of analysis and evaluation based on information from the device from the support server 1. It also aims to appropriately introduce related products based on analysis data and actual usage, thereby improving user convenience.

[0030] In addition, the sensor information from the sensor device 21 can be used to receive information on the device status (battery level, usage time, wearing status, etc.) by using short-range wireless communication (ANT+, Bluetooth, ZigBee, IrDA, etc.). When used online, for example, sensor information is transferred from the sensor device 21 by short-range wireless communication, and behavioral information that the user wants immediately, such as tooth brushing behavior, teeth grinding behavior, and heart rate status, is displayed on the information terminal. Information that must be notified immediately about tooth brushing behavior, such as high brushing pressure or fast brushing speed, can be transferred from the information terminal to the sensor device 21 by short-range wireless communication. Data on the analysis and evaluation content displayed after oral care behavior is transmitted between the support server 1 and the support server 1 via an Internet connection via a wireless LAN such as Wifi or a wired LAN.

[0031] Also, preferably, the device has a function of calling a call center in case the user is unable to input information such as user attributes, health condition, and activity diary from the information terminal due to some problem on the user's part. Even if the user does not have an information terminal, the charging / storage stand (docking station) has an internet connection function via wireless LAN or wired LAN and can transmit information to the support server 1. In that case, the information can also be provided on paper or the like.

[0032] In addition to acquiring information from a sensor-equipped terminal (sensor device 21) in this manner, the function, condition, and care status information acquisition unit 10a may also receive function, condition, and care status information of the oral cavity and pharyngeal area manually input by the user using the input means of an information terminal such as a personal computer or smartphone as the user terminal 2, or may acquire information from an institutional computer 3 that holds function, condition, and care status information of the user's oral cavity and pharyngeal area.

[0033] For example, the condition of the oral cavity and pharyngeal region obtained by user input includes information such as tooth sensitivity, sticky mouth, dry mouth, difficulty swallowing food, bleeding gums, poor gum color, bad teeth alignment, bad tooth surface color, noticeable gaps between teeth, noticeable bad breath, difficulty chewing, poor bite alignment, shaking jaw, etc. Also, organizations that hold information on the function and health status and care status of the biological tissues of the oral cavity and pharyngeal region of the user include medical institutions such as dental clinics, organizations that manage electronic medical record systems, and analysis and evaluation organizations that analyze user specimen samples, and such information can be obtained by forming partnerships with these organizations in advance for the exchange of information.

[0034] The awareness and knowledge information acquisition unit 10b acquires information from the terminal 2 of each user or the institutional computer 3 that holds the user's information, which is capable of grasping the user's awareness and knowledge of the oral cavity and pharyngeal region, such as awareness of the user's worries about the oral cavity (care), the tendency to stain, the tendency to get cavities, and the presence or absence of measures taken to deal with such information; the appropriate brushing method, the method of cleaning between the teeth, and the degree of understanding of information on oral cavity and pharyngeal care tools and care products. Institutions that hold user information include dental clinics and other medical institutions, and the information is acquired by forming partnerships with these institutions in advance to exchange information.

[0035] Acquisition from the user terminal 2 may be acquisition from an appropriate sensor-equipped terminal (sensor device 21) as described above, or may include receiving information manually input by the user via input means of an information terminal such as a personal computer or smartphone serving as the user terminal 2. More specifically, for example, a website (information providing site) for providing information to users may be operated (having a web server function) inside / outside the support server 1, and information that can grasp the user's awareness and knowledge of the oral cavity and pharyngeal region may be acquired, the information being input by a user who accessed the information providing site via an information terminal such as a personal computer or smartphone.

[0036] The information to be provided to users through this information site will consist of, in addition to useful information targeted at individual users as described below, general information relating to oral and pharyngeal care, the relationship between diet and oral and pharyngeal care, and the relationship between various syndromes and oral and pharyngeal care, and by obtaining information on users' related awareness and actual knowledge, it is preferable to foster in users themselves an awareness that performing oral and pharyngeal care can be expected to extend their healthy life expectancy.

[0037] The information provided related to oral and pharyngeal care includes problems that can arise from using inappropriate toothpaste, toothbrushes, and other products, as well as criteria and methods for selecting appropriate products, information on various oral care products (ingredients information, problems that can arise from incorrect use and correct usage, etc.), specific optimal oral care methods for a set period of time (such as one week), oral problems that arise by different ages and genders, and among pregnant women, infants, and people in need of care, and how to prevent and deal with them, an introduction to the latest oral related research, basic knowledge about dentures and implants, common problems with dentures and how to prevent them.

[0038] In addition, the information provided on the relationship between diet and care may include examples of problems caused by eating habits or bias, the intake or use of luxury items, and how to deal with them, information on the importance of chewing and problems that tend to occur when chewing disorders occur, preventive methods to make chewing disorders less likely to occur, information on the importance of bite alignment and problems that tend to occur when bite alignment disorders occur, etc. It is also preferable to provide information on the relationship between whole body health and oral hygiene.

[0039] In exchange for providing this information, the information providing site obtains information on the user's awareness and actual knowledge without the user being aware of it as much as possible. Specifically, information is obtained from the selection history of the user when selecting from a list of free services, and information required for each service provided is obtained by the user entering the required information. If monitoring information is entered in conjunction with the use of the product, a data storage directory is created for each user. It is also preferable to register users after purchasing a product and provide product after-sales service.

[0040] General attributes of a user that the user information acquisition unit 10c acquires from an individual user terminal 2 or an institutional computer 3 that holds user information include, for example, gender, age, date of birth, height, weight, area of ​​residence, and occupation.

[0041] Similarly, the health condition acquired by the user information acquisition unit 10c includes information acquired from the sensor device 21 as the user terminal 2, such as the frequency and number of times of teeth grinding acquired from an electromyographic sensor attached to the temples or chin, which indicates the state of the jaw, height, weight, body fat percentage, electrocardiogram, pulse wave, pulse rate, SpO2 (percutaneous arterial oxygen saturation), hemoglobin concentration, body temperature, activity level, blood pressure, blood glucose level, bone density, etc. acquired from a dedicated sensor, and intake Cal, etc. acquired from a camera. In addition, information received from the user terminal 2 as information manually entered by the user, or information acquired from the institutional computer 3, such as a medical institution, health insurance, labor union, or an institution that manages an electronic medical record system, includes the user's health check result information, blood donation availability and blood test information, type and frequency of intake of health foods, information on diseases being treated, presence and type of allergies, medication information, etc.

[0042] Similarly, the treatment history acquired by the user information acquisition unit 10c includes information received from the user terminal 2 that is manually input by the user, or information acquired from an institution computer 3 such as a medical institution, a health insurance or labor union, or an institution that manages an electronic medical record system, such as a past dental examination history, a past history of tartar removal, the presence or absence of fluoride application treatment and the treatment date, the presence or absence of scaling or root planing treatment and the treatment date, the presence or absence of dentures and the attachment site, the start date of attachment, the presence or absence of implants and the treatment site, treatment information (caries treatment, periodontal disease treatment, etc.), This information includes information such as the presence or absence of oral bacteria serum antibody titer measurement information, occlusion condition information, whether or not brushing instruction was given and the date of implementation, the presence or absence of specific oral bacteria (for example, tests utilizing immune responses), the presence or absence of occult blood (for example, tests utilizing the catalytic action of hemoglobin or immune responses), the state of the user's oral flora, the type and amount of immunoglobulin in saliva, DNA / RNA analysis of oral mucosa and saliva, quantification of heparanase in saliva, quantification of female hormones in saliva, quantification of ammonia in saliva, quantification of white blood cells in saliva, and the type and amount of oxidative stress markers in saliva.

[0043] Similarly, the information on eating habits acquired by the user information acquisition unit 10c corresponds to information on food that is input by the user to the information terminal as the user terminal 2, such as the usual number of meals, the usual start time and duration of meals, etc. Also, the institution that holds the user's information in this case corresponds to an institution that holds information on food purchases and use of the restaurant industry, and information on customer relationship management (CRM) systems (food product purchase history, restaurant use history information), etc. can be acquired from the institution computer 3 of the institution.

[0044] Similarly, the lifestyle habits acquired by the user information acquisition unit 10c include information obtained by the user inputting information into the information terminal as the user terminal 2 through the information terminal, such as lifestyle (smoking, drinking, preferences (e.g., eating sweets often)) and daily behavior diary. Similarly, the actual state of exercise habits acquired by the user information acquisition unit 10c includes information obtained by the user inputting information into the sensor device as the user terminal 2 or the information terminal, such as types of daily exercise and average exercise time for daily exercise. Similarly, the bedtime behavior acquired by the user information acquisition unit 10c includes information obtained by the user inputting information into the sensor device as the user terminal 2 or the information terminal, such as average bedtime and average wake-up time.

[0045] The method by which the user information acquiring unit 10c acquires information from the user terminal 2 is similar to that of the consciousness / knowledge actual information acquiring unit 10b described above, that is, a method of acquiring information input by the user to the appropriate sensor device 21 or information terminal 22 described above, such as acquiring user information input by a user who has accessed the information providing site described above from an information terminal 22 such as a personal computer or smartphone.

[0046] The user information acquisition unit 10c can acquire information from the institution computer 3 that holds the user information by having a person in charge of the institution input information to the institution computer 3 or by accessing the institution 3. Institutions that hold user information include medical institutions such as dental clinics, institutions that manage electronic medical record systems, other institutions such as health insurance and labor unions, and other companies in different industries that hold various information including user attributes, and the information is acquired by forming partnerships with these institutions in advance for the exchange of information.

[0047] The useful information generating unit 10d analyzes the information that can grasp the latest and past functions and health conditions of the biological tissues of the oral cavity and pharyngeal region, the actual care status, and the actual awareness and knowledge status, stored in the oral cavity and pharyngeal information storing unit 11a, based on the above user information stored in the user information storing unit 11b, and selects and generates information that is useful for extending the healthy lifespan of the user at the time when the analyzed information is provided. The analysis can be performed based on a predetermined formula, such as multivariate analysis. It is also preferable to analyze past information and useful information provided in the past about the above information by machine learning, and generate the information after inference. Any method, such as deep learning by neural network, can be used for this machine learning.

[0048] The useful information generated by the useful information generating unit 10d preferably includes one or more pieces of information selected from the following pieces of information (i) to (vi). (i) Evaluation information and improvement proposal information regarding the user's oral care status, (ii) general information on the level of functioning of vital tissues in the oral and pharyngeal region, the state of oral hygiene, and the possible effect on physical and mental health of the patient of the presence or severity of oral diseases; (iii) Information regarding possible future risks to the user's physical and mental health based on the user's current oral and pharyngeal condition and methods for preventing and improving such risks; (iv) information about services to maintain and improve the function of the user's oral and pharyngeal area; (v) An assessment of the user's actual lifestyle, diet, and exercise habits, and the risks to future mental and physical health that can be inferred from those habits, as well as information on methods for improving those habits and support suggestions for maintaining and improving those habits; (vi) Information regarding sleep habits or improvement services that may adversely affect the function or condition of the user's oral and pharyngeal area.

[0049] Examples of information in (i) include the following: (a) Information on the appropriateness of toothbrushing behavior, habits, and specific suggestions for improvement obtained by analyzing measurement data obtained using a sensor device that can grasp the actual use of the toothbrush (e.g., the movement of the toothbrush brush when brushing, the degree of change, average value, maximum value, brushing time, brushing status at each part of the oral cavity, frequency of tooth brushing per day, etc.), (b) Information on improvements and specific methods proposed in real time based on a proper assessment of tooth brushing behavior in real time, as necessary; (c) Information on toothbrush specifications and oral care products optimal for the user and preferred ways to use them, based on data on the user's actual tooth brushing behavior and oral hygiene status, etc.; (d) Information on the presence or absence of inflammatory systemic diseases, such as diabetes, and glucose metabolism disorders, which may affect the oral cavity, for the purpose of improving the effectiveness of treatment and preventive measures in the oral and pharyngeal areas, provided to specialists such as dentists and oral surgeons; (e) Information on the appropriateness of oral hygiene behavior and specific suggestions for improvement, etc., obtained by analyzing data that can identify the use and actual state of use of oral care tools other than toothbrushes, and data that can identify the oral care chemical products used and their actual state of use.

[0050] When providing the information in (i) to a user's information terminal connected to a toothbrush sensor device as toothbrushing education, it is preferable to provide useful information including information on frequency of toothbrushing, bias (habits) in cleaning areas, brushing pressure, cleaning time, brushing method, etc., and the degree of cleaning achievement, and then provide specific guidance on how to improve the most important items. It is also preferable to display each item in a matrix table, and select the content you want to see to see the details. It is also preferable to have a trend view function that can show the trend of improvement since the previous time.

[0051] Examples of information in (ii) include the following: (a) information on possible systemic diseases based on oral hygiene data such as caries, periodontal disease and the state of the oral flora; (b) Information obtained by analyzing data that can grasp the actual amount of saliva secreted and the degree of dryness in the mouth, regarding risks to oral hygiene such as bad breath, sensitive teeth, and tongue coating, as well as the risk of developing eating disorders or taste disorders in the future, and the risk of developing systemic or mental disorders that are the indirect causes of these. (c) Data on the presence or absence of oral disease and its severity, the presence or absence and the level of the number of specific species of oral bacteria, etc., provided to doctors and other specialists as a reference for the improvement of the aftereffects of surgical procedures, etc. (d) Information regarding the risk of developing eating disorders in the future and the risk of developing disorders of the whole body or mind that may be the indirect cause of such disorders, obtained by analyzing data such as the actual tongue movement during meals and at other times, bite force, bite pressure during chewing, state of bite alignment, level of swallowing function, and chewing habits.

[0052] The information in (iii) includes, for example, information that may have an adverse effect on the user's current or future physical or mental health, which is obtained by combining and analyzing the user's current and past history information on the oral and pharyngeal area and other information, and specifically includes, for example, the following information: (a) Prognostic risk of surgery as inferred from oral hygiene status; (b) The risk of developing systemic diseases (e.g., arteriosclerosis, premature birth, aspiration pneumonia) and risks to oral hygiene (e.g., periodontal disease, tooth decay, bad breath, etc.) that can be inferred from the state of the oral and pharyngeal flora. (c) The user's overall health condition, dietary habits and lifestyle habits at the time of providing information that may affect the user's oral hygiene status, and ways to deal with such conditions (for example, a suggestion to visit a medical institution, etc.); (d) Risk to the health of the oral cavity and pharyngeal area and to the effectiveness of disease treatment, which is inferred from the state of stress on the user's mind and body (e.g., mental stress, oxidative stress on the body, etc.); (e) Events that may cause a decline in the QOL of the User in the future, as inferred from the User's information at the time of providing information on the biofunctions of the oral cavity and pharyngeal region, such as chewing habits, occlusion state, chewing ability, degree of swallowing function, number of chews during meals, and chewing force (e.g., a decline in eating ability, poor nutritional intake, decline in cognitive ability, lack of variety in edible foods, risk of aspiration pneumonia, etc.)

[0053] (iv) information includes, for example, information on the current level of function, specific training methods, equipment, and tools aimed at maintaining or improving the level of function, and care products and tools aimed at assisting function, which can be obtained by grasping the actual state of the user's daily oral and pharyngeal functions (specifically, chewing power, mouth opening ability, swallowing ability, saliva secretion ability, occlusion, tongue movement ability, etc.) through regular or intermittent data measurement.

[0054] The following information, for example, is applicable as information in (v): (a) information on the current and future risk of functional levels and hygienic conditions of biological tissues in the oral and pharyngeal regions, obtained by analyzing data on the user's current and past lifestyle, dietary and exercise habits; (b) information useful in maintaining or improving the functional level or hygienic condition of said tissue; (c) Proposals for support, such as providing a system or the like to motivate users to take action aimed at maintaining or improving the functional level or hygienic condition of the said biological tissue and to obtain steady results.

[0055] Here, lifestyle habits include, for example, sleep time and quality, smoking status and smoking history, smoking frequency, home environment such as heating and cooling, flooring and wall materials such as flooring and tatami, architectural style (wooden house, light steel frame house, steel frame building, etc.), waking and bedtime, etc., and dietary habits include, for example, the number of meals, meal times, meal amounts (including calorie intake), degree of menu diversity, nutritional balance, food hardness, snacking status and frequency, time, carbohydrate and fiber intake, eating out status and frequency, etc. Exercise habits include, for example, whether or not you exercise regularly, exercise intensity, total time you exercise, time of exercise, exercise frequency, whether or not you exercise with friends, etc.

[0056] The information in (vi) includes, for example, the following: (a) Information regarding the actual state of teeth grinding, such as the presence or absence of teeth grinding, frequency, bite area, and bite pressure; the actual state of breathing, such as the presence or absence of mouth breathing, frequency, and cumulative time; the amount of saliva secreted while sleeping; and the changes in the degree of wetness (or dryness) in the oral cavity and pharyngeal area, and the effects that such behavior may have on the function of the tissues in the oral cavity and pharyngeal area and on the hygiene of the oral cavity and pharynx, (b) Information regarding current or future risks that may occur, obtained by analyzing the data that can capture the sleep behavior; (c) general information on modifying bedtime behaviors that may have any adverse effect on the oral and pharyngeal area; (d) Information suggesting ways to improve behavior at bedtime suited to the user, obtained by analyzing the user's unique information such as the user's lifestyle, diet, exercise habits, and the user's condition in the oral cavity and pharyngeal region (e.g., the presence or absence and location of dentures, disease status and hygienic status in the oral cavity and pharyngeal region).

[0057] The information transmission unit 10e transmits the useful information generated by the useful information generation unit 10d to a user terminal 2 such as the user's sensor device 21 or information terminal 22. Here, all or part of the useful information may also be transmitted to the institution computers 3 of various affiliated institutions. It is preferable that the useful information transmitted to the user terminal 2 can be viewed or shared with third parties designated in advance by the user, such as dentists or physicians, or family members, via a website or the like. It is also preferable to provide information sharing services using SNS, such as a diary function, a message function between users, and a community creation function.

[0058] 5 is a flow diagram showing an example of a series of processes of generating useful information by the useful information generating unit 10d and transmitting the useful information by the information transmitting unit 10e to the user terminal 2. The useful information generating unit 10d, for example, determines an evaluation formula to be used in the process according to the items of various information to be provided as useful information (S101), extracts information that can grasp the latest and past functions and health conditions of biological tissues in the oral cavity and pharyngeal region of the user stored in the oral cavity and pharyngeal information storing unit 11a, the actual care status, and the actual awareness and knowledge status (S102), extracts user information stored in the user information storing unit 11b (S103), and performs calculation processing based on the information using the determined evaluation formula to perform inference and judgment processing (S104), and stores the selected useful information in the useful information storing unit 11c (S105), and the information transmitting unit 10e transmits the useful information to the user terminal 2 (S106).

[0059] Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and it is of course possible to carry out the present invention in various forms without departing from the gist of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0060] 1 Support Server 2. User terminal 3. Engine Computer 10 Processing equipment 10a Function, condition and care status information acquisition unit 10b Awareness and knowledge status information acquisition section 10c User information acquisition section 10d Useful information generation section 10e Information transmission section 11 Memory means 11a Oral and pharyngeal information storage section 11b User information storage unit 11c Useful information storage section 12 Communication control section 21 Sensor Devices 22 Information terminal 23 Docking Station 24 Processing Equipment 25 Memory means 26 Input / Output Section 27 Image input section 28 Display / notification section 29 Wireless and Wired Communications Department N Network

Claims

1. A support server for a support system for extending healthy lifespan, the support server analyzing information that can grasp the function of biological tissues and health status, actual care status, and actual awareness and knowledge status of the oral cavity and pharyngeal region based on one or more pieces of user information selected from the user's general attributes, overall health status, treatment history, dietary habits and lifestyle habits, actual exercise habits, behavior at bedtime, and psychological state, and providing useful information and services for extending the healthy lifespan of the user to the user's terminal via a network at the time of providing the analyzed information for each individual user, A function / condition / care status information acquisition unit that acquires information that can grasp the function, health status, or care status of the biological tissue in the oral cavity and pharyngeal region of the user from the user's terminal via a network, the information being continuous or intermittent in a time series; an awareness / knowledge actual state information acquisition unit that acquires information capable of grasping the awareness / knowledge actual state of the user regarding the oral cavity and pharyngeal region from the terminal of each user or a computer of an institution that holds information of the user via a network; a user information acquisition unit that acquires, via a network, from a terminal of each user or a computer of an institution that holds information about the user, one or more pieces of user information selected from the user's general attributes, overall health condition, medical history, dietary habits and lifestyle habits, actual exercise habits, behavior at bedtime, and psychological state; An oral cavity and pharyngeal information storage unit that stores information that can grasp the function and health state of the biological tissue in the oral cavity and pharyngeal region, the actual care state, and the actual awareness and knowledge state; A user information storage unit that stores the acquired user information; a useful information generating unit that analyzes information that can grasp the latest and past functions and health conditions of biological tissues in the oral cavity and pharyngeal region, the actual state of care, and the actual state of awareness and knowledge based on the user information, and generates information that is useful for maintaining and improving the physiological functions and hygienic conditions in the oral cavity and pharyngeal region of the user at the time of providing the analyzed information; an information transmitting unit that transmits the generated useful information to a user terminal via a network; A support server for a support system for extending healthy lifespan.

2. 2. The support server of the support system for extending healthy life expectancy according to claim 1, wherein the useful information includes one or more pieces of information selected from the following information (i) to (vi): (i) evaluation information and improvement proposal information regarding the user's oral care status; (ii) general information on the level of functioning of the tissues in the oral-pharyngeal region, the state of oral hygiene, and the possible effect on physical and mental health of the patient of the presence or absence of oral disease and the severity of its symptoms; (iii) Information regarding possible future risks to the user's physical and mental health based on the user's current oral and pharyngeal condition and methods for preventing and improving such risks; (iv) information about services for maintaining or improving the function of the user's oral and pharyngeal area; (v) An evaluation of the user's actual lifestyle, diet, and exercise habits, and the risks to future mental and physical health that can be inferred from those habits, and information on methods for improving those habits and support suggestions for maintaining and improving those habits; (vi) information regarding sleep behaviors or improvement services that may adversely affect the function or condition of the user's oral and pharyngeal area;

3. 3. The support server of the support system for extending healthy life expectancy according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the useful information is generated by analysis or inference using machine learning.

4. A support server for a healthy life expectancy extension support system described in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the information regarding the function and health status of the biological tissue includes one or more pieces of information selected from the following information (i) to (ix): (i) oral motor information (teeth grinding, chewing, chewing force, or swallowing mouth range of motion); (ii) Occlusal force (occlusal pressure) or occlusal state as an occlusal function; (iii) Masticatory function, such as chewing ability and number of chewing strokes or mandibular movement ability; (iv) Throat movement or swallowing force as a swallowing function; (v) tongue motor ability, tongue pressure, or blood flow as a function of the tongue; (vi) pH and buffer capacity as saliva conditions (ability to maintain pH in a normal range), amount of saliva secreted, dryness of the oral cavity and throat region, calcium ion concentration in saliva, serum antibody titer against oral bacteria, amount of immunoglobulin, amount of active oxygen, or stickiness of the oral cavity, (vii) The type or concentration of the main gas as a symptom of halitosis; (viii) Size of interdental embrasure (opening area), tooth surface color, or number of remaining teeth as tooth condition; (ix) Gum condition as measured by color or blood flow.

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