A method for cleaning an oral cavity by positioning a device suitable for detecting and removing plaque from a surface within the oral cavity having applied thereto a fluorescent agent capable of binding to plaque on the surface, substantially simultaneously cleaning and irradiating the surface with a light of a wavelength effective to provide a fluorescent emission when contacted with the fluorescent agent, collecting at least a portion of the fluorescent emission over a predetermined first time period (PTP1), determining an average plaque value (APV) based on the fluorescent emission collected over the PTP1, comparing the APV to a predetermined plaque value (PPV), and continuing to substantially simultaneously clean and irradiate the surface within the oral cavity for a predetermined second time period (PTP2).
