A dental probe for determining the vitality of a tooth, comprising a light emitter and a light receiver, wherein the light emitter is configured to emit light from an emitter surface adapted to be positioned on a hard dental surface of a tooth, wherein the light receiver is configured to collect light incident on a receiver surface adapted to be positioned on a hard dental surface of the tooth so that the optical path of the light emitted from the light emitter passes at least through a portion of the pulp chamber of the tooth, characterized in that the light receiver comprises (a) a light shielding spacer member adjacent to the optical path for establishing and maintaining a distance of 50 μm to 1000 μm between the gum line and the optical path at the receiver surface, and in that the light emitter comprises (c) a light shielding spacer member adjacent to the optical path for establishing and maintaining a distance between the gum line and the optical path at the emitter surface, wherein the light shielding spacer member establishes and maintains a distance of 50 μm to 1000 μm between the gum line and the optical path at the emitter surface, and in that an apical-coronal diameter of the light emitter surface and the light receiver surface is at most 1200 μm in the direction normal to the optical path, and in that the dental probe further comprises (b) a pressing member for engaging the gingiva by applying pressure onto the gum when the receiver surface is positioned on the tooth, thereby providing an anaemic condition of the gingiva. a light emitter and a light receiver, wherein the light emitter is configured to emit light from an emitter surface adapted to be positioned on a hard dental surface of a tooth, wherein the light receiver is configured to collect light incident on a receiver surface adapted to be positioned on a hard dental surface of the tooth so that the optical path of the light emitted from the light emitter passes at least through a portion of the pulp chamber of the tooth, characterized in that the light receiver comprises (a) a light shielding spacer member adjacent to the optical path for establishing and maintaining a distance of 50 μm to 1000 μm between the gum line and the optical path at the receiver surface, and in that the light emitter comprises (c) a light shielding spacer member adjacent to the optical path for establishing and maintaining a distance between the gum line and the optical path at the emitter surface, wherein the light shielding spacer member establishes and maintains a distance of 50 μm to 1000 μm between the gum line and the optical path at the emitter surface, and in that an apical-coronal diameter of the light emitter surface and the light receiver surface is at most 1200 μm in the direction normal to the optical path, and in that the dental probe further comprises (b) a pressing member for engaging the gingiva by applying pressure onto the gum when the receiver surface is positioned on the tooth, thereby providing an anaemic condition of the gingiva. (a) a light shielding spacer member adjacent to the optical path for establishing and maintaining a distance of 50 μm to 1000 μm between the gum line and the optical path at the receiver surface, and in that the light emitter comprises (c) a light shielding spacer member adjacent to the optical path for establishing and maintaining a distance between the gum line and the optical path at the emitter surface, wherein the light shielding spacer member establishes and maintains a distance of 50 μm to 1000 μm between the gum line and the optical path at the emitter surface, and in that an apical-coronal diameter of the light emitter surface and the light receiver surface is at most 1200 μm in the direction normal to the optical path, and in that the dental probe further comprises (b) a pressing member for engaging the gingiva by applying pressure onto the gum when the receiver surface is positioned on the tooth, thereby providing an anaemic condition of the gingiva.