A dental apparatus is provided. The dental apparatus include a handle. A controller operably couples to the housing. A subsystem is in operable communication with the controller and configured to generate an excitation signal causing an emitted fluorescence light to be reflected back to the subsystem and to the controller for analyzing one or more properties of the emitted fluorescence light. The one or more properties corresponding to a decay time of the emitted fluorescence light, wherein plaque emitted florescence light decays faster than tooth emitted florescence light. The controller is programmed to analyze detected emitted fluorescence light to determine if the emitted fluorescence light is indicative of a plaque emitted fluorescence decay time or tooth emitted florescence light decay time to detect the presence of one of dental plaque and tooth demineralization.