U.S. patent application number 12/147143 was filed with the patent office on 2009-01-15 for novel device.
Invention is credited to John Binet, Hans Kraemer.
Application Number | 20090013489 12/147143 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39760875 |
Filed Date | 2009-01-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090013489 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Binet; John ; et
al. |
January 15, 2009 |
NOVEL DEVICE
Abstract
Toothbrush heads with bristle tufts comprised of longer tapered
bristles and shorter non-tapered bristles in respective embodiments
comprising tufts which include both tapered and non-tapered
bristles, and comprising an outer ring of tufts of non-tapered
bristles round an inner region of tufts of longer tapered
bristles.
Inventors: |
Binet; John; (Buehl (Baden),
DE) ; Kraemer; Hans; (Buehl (Baden), DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
SMITHKLINE BEECHAM CORPORATION;CORPORATE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY-US, UW2220
P. O. BOX 1539
KING OF PRUSSIA
PA
19406-0939
US
|
Family ID: |
39760875 |
Appl. No.: |
12/147143 |
Filed: |
June 26, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
15/167.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A46B 9/028 20130101;
A46B 2200/1066 20130101; A46D 1/0276 20130101; A46B 9/04 20130101;
A46D 1/00 20130101; A46B 15/0071 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
15/167.1 |
International
Class: |
A46B 9/06 20060101
A46B009/06 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jun 28, 2007 |
GB |
0712642.8 |
Jun 28, 2007 |
GB |
0712646.9 |
Claims
1. A toothbrush head having a bristle surface from which tufts
comprising plural bristles extend in a bristle direction, each tuft
comprising shorter bristles having a cross section which does not
taper from their lower end toward their upper end and longer
bristles which taper from their lower end toward their upper end,
the taper of the longer bristles commencing above the upper ends of
the shorter bristles, characterized in that the length of the
longer bristles above the upper ends of the shorter bristles is
from 4 mm up to 7 mm.
2. A toothbrush head according to claim 1, wherein the length to
which the shorter bristles extend from the bristle surface is 9+/-1
mm and length to which the shorter bristles extend from the bristle
surface is 13+/-1 mm.
3. A toothbrush head having a bristle surface from which tufts
comprising plural bristles extend in a bristle direction, each tuft
comprising shorter bristles having a cross section which does not
taper from their lower end toward their upper end and longer
bristles which taper from their lower end toward their upper end,
the taper of the longer bristles commencing above the upper ends of
the shorter bristles, and wherein each said tuft is set in a tuft
socket having a minimum dimension across the longitudinal direction
of the bristle filaments in the range 1.7-2.4 mm.
4. A toothbrush head having a bristle surface from which tufts
comprising plural bristles extend in a bristle direction, each tuft
comprising shorter bristles having a cross section which does not
taper from their lower end toward their upper end and longer
bristles which taper from their lower end toward their upper end,
the taper of the longer bristles commencing above the upper ends of
the shorter bristles, each tuft containing 2-12 longer filaments
extending from the bristle surface.
5. A toothbrush head according to claim 4, wherein there are 20-30
shorter bristle filaments and 2-12 longer filaments extending from
the bristle surface.
6. A toothbrush head according to claim 4, wherein there are 5-7
longer filaments.
7. A toothbrush head according to claim 5, wherein there are 5-7
longer filaments.
8. A toothbrush head having a bristle surface from which tufts
comprising plural bristles extend in a bristle direction, each tuft
comprising shorter bristles having a cross section which does not
taper from their lower end toward their upper end and longer
bristles which taper from their lower end toward their upper end,
the taper of the longer bristles commencing above the upper ends of
the shorter bristles, characterized in that the length of the
longer bristles above the upper ends of the shorter bristles is
from 4 mm up to 7 mm, and each tuft contains 2-12 longer filaments
extending from the bristle surface.
9. A toothbrush head according to claim 8, wherein there are 20-30
shorter bristle filaments and 2-12 longer filaments extending from
the bristle surface.
10. A toothbrush head having a bristle surface from which tufts
comprising plural bristles extend in a bristle direction, each tuft
comprising shorter bristles having a cross section which does not
taper from their lower end toward their upper end and longer
bristles which taper from their lower end toward their upper end,
the taper of the longer bristles commencing above the upper ends of
the shorter bristles, and wherein the length of the longer bristles
above the upper ends of the shorter bristles is from 4 mm up to 7
mm, wherein each said tuft is set in a tuft socket having a minimum
dimension in the range 1.7-2.4 mm, and wherein each tuft contains
20-30 shorter bristle filaments and 2-12 longer filaments extending
from the bristle surface.
11. A toothbrush head having a bristle surface from which tufts
comprising plural bristles extend in a bristle direction, the tufts
being disposed in a pattern on the bristle surface comprising a
relatively inner cluster of plural tufts each of which contains
relatively longer bristles which taper from their lower end toward
their upper end, and plural relatively outer tufts of relatively
shorter bristles.
12. A toothbrush head according to claim 11, wherein tufts in the
relatively inner cluster consist entirely of the relatively longer
bristles which taper.
13. A toothbrush head according to claim 11, wherein the plural
relatively outer tufts are disposed as outer perimeter tufts along
two or more outer sides of the pattern of tufts.
14. A toothbrush head according to claim 12, wherein the plural
relatively outer tufts are disposed as outer perimeter tufts along
two or more outer sides of the pattern of tufts.
15. A toothbrush head according to claim 13, wherein the plural
relatively outer tufts are disposed as outer perimeter tufts around
all sides of the relatively inner tufts.
16. A toothbrush head according to claim 11, wherein the difference
between the length to which the relatively longer bristles and the
relatively shorter bristles respectively extend from the bristle
face is 2-7 mm.
17. A toothbrush head according to claim 12, wherein the difference
between the length to which the relatively longer bristles and the
relatively shorter bristles respectively extend from the bristle
face is 2-7 mm.
18. A toothbrush head according to claim 13, wherein the difference
between the length to which the relatively longer bristles and the
relatively shorter bristles respectively extend from the bristle
face is 2-7 mm.
19. A toothbrush head according to claim 15, wherein the difference
between the length to which the relatively longer bristles and the
relatively shorter bristles respectively extend from the bristle
face is 2-7 mm.
20. A toothbrush head according to claim 19, wherein the difference
between the length to which the relatively longer bristles and the
relatively shorter bristles respectively extend from the bristle
face is 2-4 mm.
Description
[0001] This invention relates to toothbrushes, in particular to the
bristle configuration of a toothbrush. Especially this invention
relates to improved toothbrush bristle configurations comprising
tapered bristle filaments.
[0002] Toothbrushes are well known articles generally comprising a
head for insertion in the user's mouth and a grip handle to be held
during use, with often a neck region in between. The toothbrush
head normally has a surface, termed herein the "bristle surface"
from which bristles extend from a lower end closest to the bristle
surface to an upper end distant from the bristle surface.
Toothbrush bristles are also well known articles, generally
comprising a filament of a stiff but flexible material, disposed in
tufts of plural filaments extending from the bristle surface. The
polyamide Nylon is very frequently used as a toothbrush bristle
material.
[0003] Although in most toothbrushes the bristle filaments have the
same cross-section along their entire length from their lower to
their upper end, it is also known to use tapered bristles which
decrease in their cross section toward their upper end. Tapered
bristles, being thinner at their upper end, have different bending
and flexibility characteristics to non-tapered filaments. In
particular tapered bristles are known for efficacy in reaching into
the spaces between the teeth, the so called "interproximal" spaces.
For example such bristles are disclosed in EP-A-1 234 525, EP-A-1
415 572, U.S. Pat. No. 6,546,586, WO-A-97/42853, WO-A-97/42854,
WO-A-01/32053, WO-A-82741, EP-A-0 596 633 among others.
[0004] Particular relative dispositions of the tapered bristles on
the bristle surface are also known. For example U.S. Pat. No.
6,546,586 discloses a toothbrush head in which each tuft comprises
plural bristle filaments made of polybutylene terephthalate in the
form of shorter filaments of uniform cross section and longer
filaments which taper toward their upper end. It is also known from
other disclosures to combine long and short bristle filaments in a
tuft e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 3,103,679, WO-A-96/16571 and DE-A-35 28
596.
[0005] Generally there are two methods of producing such tapered
bristles. One is to chemically erode the ends of the bristle
filaments; the other is to mechanically abrade them to a taper. It
has been found difficult to accurately mechanically abrade bristle
filaments in situ on a toothbrush head. A known toothbrush of the
type disclosed in WO-A-96/16571 is known to have been unsuccessful
commercially because of poor mouth feel.
[0006] It is an object of this invention to provide an improved
toothbrush head incorporating tapered bristle filaments, e.g.
providing tooth cleaning, particularly in the interproximal spaces,
at the gingival margin, in subgingival access, and also having
manufacturing advantages. Other objects and advantages of the
invention will be apparent from the following description.
[0007] According to a first aspect of this invention a toothbrush
head is provided, having a bristle surface from which tufts
comprising plural bristles extend in a bristle direction, each tuft
comprising shorter bristles having a cross section which does not
taper from their lower end toward their upper end and longer
bristles which taper from their lower end toward their upper end,
the taper of the longer bristles commencing above the upper ends of
the shorter bristles, and wherein the length of the longer bristles
above the upper ends of the shorter bristles is from 4 mm up to 7
mm.
[0008] It has been found that a toothbrush head with the length of
the longer, tapered bristles, bristles above the upper ends of the
shorter bristles being from 4 mm up to 7 mm, facilitates
manufacture of the toothbrush head by mechanical abrasion of the
upper ends of the longer bristles, particularly in the case when
the bristle filaments are made of the preferred polyamide, e.g.
Nylon, particularly the material Tynex.TM.. This is inter-alia due
to the current state of optimization of available machines capable
of abrading the ends of bristle filaments to a tapering profile,
and the properties of such bristle filament materials as
Tynex.TM..
[0009] Preferably the length of the longer bristles above the upper
ends of the shorter bristles is from >4 mm up to 7 mm. Typically
the length to which the shorter bristles extend from the bristle
surface is 9+/-1 mm and length to which the shorter bristles extend
from the bristle surface is 13+/-1 mm.
[0010] Typically the filaments may be circular in cross section,
typically 0.1-0.25 mm, e.g. 0.15-0.20 mm, at maximum. This is a
typical standard dimension for toothbrush bristle filaments.
Typically the longer bristles may taper over the entirety of their
length above the upper end of the shorter bristles.
[0011] According to a second aspect of this invention a toothbrush
head is provided, having a bristle surface from which tufts
comprising plural bristles extend in a bristle direction, each tuft
comprising shorter bristles having a cross section which does not
taper from their lower end toward their upper end and longer
bristles which taper from their lower end toward their upper end,
the taper of the longer bristles commencing above the upper ends of
the shorter bristles, and wherein each said tuft is set in a tuft
socket having a minimum dimension across the longitudinal direction
of the bristle filaments in the range 1.7-2.4 mm.
[0012] It is found that using a tuft socket in this dimension
range, typically being circular and having its diameter in this
range, is advantageous for the combination of shorter and longer
bristles in the tufts. This is believed to be because such a
dimension enables a packing density which enables the shorter
bristles to support the longer bristles for an advantageous
tooth-cleaning effect, longer filaments being more flexible than
shorter filaments for the same applied force. In particular this is
found to be the case with the tufts of the toothbrush head of the
first aspect of this invention.
[0013] Typically toothbrush tuft sockets have a standard depth of
3.4-3.8 mm. A tuft socket depth of 3.6 mm has been found suitable
for the tufts of the toothbrush head of the first aspect of this
invention.
[0014] According to a third aspect of this invention a toothbrush
head is provided, having a bristle surface from which tufts
comprising plural bristles extend in a bristle direction, each tuft
comprising shorter bristles having a cross section which does not
taper from their lower end toward their upper end and longer
bristles which taper from their lower end toward their upper end,
the taper of the longer bristles commencing above the upper ends of
the shorter bristles, each tuft containing 2-12 longer filaments
extending from the bristle surface. Preferably there are 20-30
shorter bristle filaments and 2-12 longer filaments extending from
the bristle surface.
[0015] It is found that this range of numbers of bristle filaments
in the tufts can be advantageous in providing an acceptable mouth
feel and in getting the longer bristles in between the teeth. Too
few longer bristle filaments may not feel comfortable to the user,
too many and it may not be easy to get a larger number of the
longer filaments between the teeth.
[0016] It has been found that 5-7 longer filaments, preferably
26-28 shorter filaments and 5-7 longer filaments is a suitable
number for an optimized effect.
[0017] Consequently in a fourth aspect of this invention the first
and third aspects are combined in a toothbrush head, and a
toothbrush head is provided having a bristle surface from which
tufts comprising plural bristles extend in a bristle direction,
each tuft comprising shorter bristles having a cross section which
does not taper from their lower end toward their upper end and
longer bristles which taper from their lower end toward their upper
end, the taper of the longer bristles commencing above the upper
ends of the shorter bristles, and wherein the length of the longer
bristles above the upper ends of the shorter bristles is from 4 mm
up to 7 mm, and wherein each tuft contains 2-12 longer filaments
extending from the bristle surface.
[0018] In this fourth aspect, preferably there are 20-30 shorter
bristle filaments and 2-12 longer filaments extending from the
bristle surface.
[0019] In a fifth aspect of the invention all three of the above
aspects are combined in the toothbrush.
[0020] Therefore this fourth aspect a toothbrush head is provided
having a bristle surface from which tufts comprising plural
bristles extend in a bristle direction, each tuft comprising
shorter bristles having a cross section which does not taper from
their lower end toward their upper end and longer bristles which
taper from their lower end toward their upper end, the taper of the
longer bristles commencing above the upper ends of the shorter
bristles, and wherein the length of the longer bristles above the
upper ends of the shorter bristles is from 4 mm up to 7 mm, wherein
each said tuft is set in a tuft socket having a minimum dimension
in the range 1.7-2.4 mm, and wherein each tuft contains 20-30
shorter bristle filaments and 2-12 longer filaments extending from
the bristle surface.
[0021] In the said bristle tufts the shorter and longer bristle
filaments may be disposed in various ways. For example the longer
tufts may be disposed randomly among the shorter bristle filaments.
Alternatively the longer bristles may be disposed about the central
upper-lower axis of the tuft, e.g. as a central region comprising
predominantly or entirely of the longer bristles.
[0022] In the toothbrush head of this invention the said tufts may
be disposed on the bristle surface in a pattern which is otherwise
generally conventional.
[0023] However in preferred embodiments the said tuft comprising
shorter bristles having a cross section which does not taper from
their lower end toward their upper end and longer bristles which
taper from their lower end toward their upper end, the taper of the
longer bristles commencing above the upper ends of the shorter
bristles may be disposed on the bristle surface in a pattern
comprising an inner cluster of said tufts flanked on each
longitudinal side by tufts comprised only of said shorter bristle
filaments. Further, in such a pattern the inner cluster of said
tufts may be surrounded on all sides by tufts comprised only of
said shorter bristle filaments.
[0024] On the bristle surface of the toothbrush head of this
invention there may additionally be bristle tufts of known types,
e.g. of commonplace types made of known materials such as Nylon
e.g. Tynex.TM.. There may also be tooth- or gum-hygiene elements
extending from the bristle surface, e.g. known types of elastomeric
elements.
[0025] A sixth aspect of this invention provides a further relative
configuration of tapering and non-tapering bristle filaments.
[0026] According to this sixth aspect of this invention a
toothbrush head is provided, having a bristle surface from which
tufts comprising plural bristles extend in a bristle direction, the
tufts being disposed in a pattern on the bristle surface comprising
a relatively inner cluster of plural tufts each of which contains
relatively longer bristles which taper from their lower end toward
their upper end, and plural relatively outer tufts of relatively
shorter bristles.
[0027] Tufts in the relatively inner cluster may consist entirely
of the relatively longer bristles which taper.
[0028] The plural relatively outer tufts may be disposed as outer
perimeter tufts along two or more outer sides of the pattern of
tufts. For example the plural relatively outer tufts may be
disposed as the outer tufts along two widthways opposite sides of
the tuft pattern. For example the outer tufts may be disposed as a
ring of perimeter tufts around all sides of the relatively inner
tufts. At the end of the tuft pattern furthest from the toothbrush
handle, the "tip end" the upper ends of the outer tufts may lie in
a surface, e.g. a plane, that increase in its distance from the
bristle surface with longitudinal distance away from the handle.
For example at the tip end of the head there may be a cluster of
the outer tufts e.g. a polygon of the outer tufts with their upper
ends in such a surface.
[0029] The plural relatively outer tufts may comprise bristles
which are of uniform no-tapering cross section along their
lower-upper length. The plural relatively outer tufts may consist
entirely of tufts which consist of bristles which are of uniform
cross section along their lower-upper length.
[0030] The difference in the length between the relatively longer
bristles and the relatively shorter bristles to which they
respectively extend fro the bristle face may be 2-7 mm, typically
2-4 mm. Typically the shorter outer tufts may be 9-11 mm long. All
of the bristle filaments on the toothbrush head of this fifth
aspect of the invention may be made of polyamide, e.g. Nylon,
particularly the material Tynex.TM..
[0031] The handle and other parts of a toothbrush provided with the
head of this invention may be otherwise conventional, and may be
made of conventional materials such as the known polypropylene
materials used for toothbrushes.
[0032] The toothbrush head may be provided integrally attached to a
toothbrush handle e.g. by an intermediate integral neck, or may be
replaceably attachable to the toothbrush handle. The toothbrush
head of this invention may be provided either for a manual or a
powered toothbrush.
[0033] The toothbrush head of this invention may be made by a
process in which the shorter bristles and longer bristles in a
non-tapered state are inserted into tuft socket holes in the tooth
brush head with the upper ends of the longer bristles extending
above the upper ends of the shorter bristles, and the upper ends of
the longer bristles are mechanically abraded into a tapered shape.
Machines able to do such mechanical abrasion are known in the
toothbrush manufacturing art.
[0034] Alternatively bristle filaments may be purchased in an
already tapered form. There are two main types of such commercially
available tapering bristles.
[0035] Double ended bristle filaments are tapered at both ends and
are normally mounted in a toothbrush bristle surface by folding
them in the middle into a "U" shape and setting the folded middle
region of the "U" shape in a socket hole in the bristle surface
using a conventional "anchor". In the toothbrush heads of this
invention the tapering and non-tapering bristle filaments may
comprise such double-ended filaments, conventionally folded in a
"U" shape with the bend of the "U" inserted into the socket hole
and retained therein by a conventional metal anchor. In such a
construction each length of "U" shaped filament provides two
bristles extending from the bristle surface.
[0036] Single ended bristle filaments are tapered at only one end
and are normally mounted in a toothbrush bristle surface by folding
them close to the non-tapered end into a "J" shape and setting the
folded end region of the "J" shape in a socket hole in the bristle
surface using a conventional "anchor".
[0037] Alternatively the bristle tufts of the toothbrush head of
this invention may be mounted in the bristle surface using the
known "anchorless" or "inmould" process in which the parts of the
bristles to be set in the head are enclosed within an injection
mould and the plastics material of the head in injected into the
mould to embed the bristle filaments in the head.
[0038] The tapering tufts may be mounted in the toothbrush head of
this invention in these conventional ways.
[0039] In the toothbrush head of the sixth aspect of the present
invention such single ended filaments are preferred as providing a
preferred bristle density in the longer tufts.
[0040] The invention will now be described by way of example only
with reference to the accompanying figures which show:
[0041] FIG. 1 a perspective view of a toothbrush head of this
invention.
[0042] FIG. 2 a sectional view of part of a toothbrush head of this
invention.
[0043] FIG. 3 a cross sectional view through a bristle tuft of the
head of FIG. 2 cut at the line A-A of FIG. 2 looking in the
direction of the arrow.
[0044] FIG. 4 a side view of another toothbrush head of this
invention.
[0045] FIG. 5 a side view of another toothbrush head of this
invention.
[0046] FIG. 6 a plan view of the bristle face of the toothbrush
head of FIG. 5.
[0047] Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, a toothbrush head 10 overall
is shown, having a bristle surface 11 from which tufts 12
(generally) comprising plural bristle filaments extend in a bristle
direction `B` generally perpendicular to the bristle surface. The
bristle filaments are made of the Nylon material Tynex.TM.. The
lower end of each of the tufts 12 is adjacent to the bristle
surface; the opposite upper end is distant from the bristle
surface.
[0048] Each tuft 12 comprises shorter bristles 13 having a cross
section which does not taper from their lower end toward their
upper end and longer bristles 14 which taper from their lower end
toward their upper end. As seen more clearly in FIG. 2 the longer
bristles 14 taper in a generally conical shape toward their upper
end, the taper of the longer bristles 14 commencing above the upper
ends of the shorter bristles 13. The length "d" indicated in FIG. 2
by which the length of the longer bristles 14 extends above the
upper ends of the shorter bristles 13 is ca. 6 mm. The length to
which the shorter bristles 13 extend from the bristle surface is
ca. 9 mm and the length to which the longer bristles 14 extend from
the bristle surface is ca. 13 mm. The shorter bristle filaments 13,
and the longer bristle filaments 14 over their length below the
upper ends of the shorter bristles, are circular in cross section,
0.15-0.20 mm diameter, a typical standard dimension for toothbrush
bristle filaments.
[0049] Each of the tufts 12 is mounted in a respective tuft socket
15 having a minimum dimension perpendicular to the length direction
of the bristles in the range 1.7-2.4 mm. The total depth of the
socket holes 15 is 3.6 mm, being cylindrical to a depth of 3.3 mm
and shallow conical below that. This is a standard depth and
profile. Each tuft 12 comprises double ended bristle filaments
folded over into a "U" shape, with the fold of the "U" inserted
into the tuft socket 15 and is fixed in place in the socket hole 15
by a metal "anchor" 16 as conventionally used in toothbrush
construction. In this construction each bristle filament folded
into such a "U" shape consequently provides two bristle filaments
13, 14 extending from the bristle surface 11.
[0050] Each of the tufts 12 contain 20-30 shorter bristle filaments
and 2-12 longer filaments extending from the bristle surface 11. In
the tufts 12 shown in FIGS. 1-3 the longer bristles 14 are disposed
about the central upper-lower axis of the tuft 12, e.g. randomly
disposed or as shown in FIG. 3 disposed in a central area
predominantly of longer bristles 14 surrounded by an outer sheath
of the shorter bristles 13.
[0051] The toothbrush head 10 of this invention is integrally
formed with a neck 17 by which it is integrally connected to a grip
handle (not shown). Between the neck 17 and the head 10 is a
flexible link 18 of known construction comprising a thinned region
of the neck 17 surrounded by an elastomer sphere.
[0052] A toothbrush according to FIGS. 1 to 3 above was
experimentally evaluated in comparison with two commercial
toothbrushes having no tapered bristles as described below.
Test 1: Interproximal Access Efficacy, IAE
Methods
[0053] Three toothbrush products, a toothbrush provided with a
toothbrush head of FIGS. 1 to 3, now commercially available as the
"Dr Best Zwischenzahn.TM." toothbrush (herein "test toothbrush"),
and two other toothbrushes, being an Oral-B Cross Action 40.TM.
toothbrush (herein "toothbrush A") and an Oral-B Indicator 35.TM.
toothbrush (herein toothbrush "B") both of medium texture bristles,
were evaluated in this study. All test toothbrushes were provided
by GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare GmbH & Co. KG, Buehl,
Germany. Six toothbrushes from each product group, i.e. the test
toothbrush, and toothbrushes A and B, were tested four times for a
total of twenty four tests on each toothbrush design. Toothbrushes
were stored in the laboratory at a temperature of 67-70.degree. F.
for more than 48 hours before testing. The laboratory equipment
used was fabricated to the design of Nygaard Ostby, Edvardsen and
Spydevold. The tooth brushing technique involved independent
evaluations of each toothbrush in a vertical and horizontal
brushing motion, tooth shapes simulating anterior and posterior
teeth and a brushing weight of 250 g. The brushing apparatus was
set to brush 15 seconds at two strokes per second with a 50-mm
stroke. The maximum width of the artificial plaque removed
(Interproximal Access Efficacy, IAE) was recorded in cm using
vernier calipers. The same examiner performed all evaluations. The
analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed on the mean scores for
each of the toothbrush products. Significant differences between
the toothbrushes were identified using two-sample t-tests.
Objectives
[0054] A primary method used in the laboratory assesses the ability
of toothbrush bristles to penetrate between simulated teeth and
remove artificial plaque, i.e. interproximal access efficacy (IAE),
during the tooth brushing procedure. Both vertical and horizontal
brushing motions are evaluated on simulated anterior and posterior
tooth shapes. The results are then combined to determine overall
efficacy of the toothbrush products evaluated. Overall efficacy in
the IAE assay has been correlated with clinical plaque removal. The
purpose of this study was to evaluate the test toothbrush and
toothbrush A and B for efficacy in the IAE procedure.
[0055] Interproximal access efficacy on anterior or posterior
shaped teeth with horizontal brushing is shown in Table 1 below.
The mean IAE is significantly (p<0.001) higher for the Test
Toothbrush than for toothbrushes A or B.
TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Tooth Shape Test toothbrush Toothbrush A
Toothbrush B Mean values (standard deviation) Anterior 1.21 (0.06)
0.89 (0.06) 0.67 (0.07) Posterior 1.29 (0.10) 0.99 (0.10) 1.03
(0.10)
Results
[0056] Interproximal access efficacy on anterior or posterior
shaped teeth with vertical brushing is shown in Table 2 below. On
both anterior and posterior tooth shapes with vertical brushing,
the mean IAE is significantly higher (p<0.001) for the Test
Toothbrush than for toothbrushes A and B.
TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Tooth Shape Test toothbrush Toothbrush A
Toothbrush B Mean values (standard deviation) [cm] Anterior 1.35
(0.05) 0.84 (0.08) 0.78 (0.06) Posterior 1.50 (0.02) 0.99 (0.04)
1.03 (0.04)
[0057] Overall performance meaning combining all brushing motions
and teeth shapes are shown in Table 3. The overall IAE mean for the
Test toothbrush was statistically (p<0.001) higher than the
overall mean values for the toothbrushes A and B.
TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Test toothbrush Toothbrush A Toothbrush B
Mean values (standard deviation) 1.34 (0.12) 0.89 (0.10) 0.82
(0.16)
[0058] In all of the IAE assays conducted, the Test toothbrush was
significantly superior (p<0.001) to toothbrushes A and B. The
Test toothbrush is predicted to be more effective for clinical
interproximal plaque removal than toothbrushes A and B.
Test 2: Gingival Margin Cleaning
[0059] Two laboratory methods have been developed to measure the
gingival margin and subgingival action of toothbrushes in these
anatomical areas. The Gingival Margin Cleaning method (GMC)
utilizes wet plaque-covered pressure-sensitive paper placed over
simulated posterior teeth, to compare toothbrush products for their
ability to remove artificial plaque at the junction of simulated
gingival tissues. The second method Subgingival Access Efficacy
(SAE) utilizes an artificial plaque-covered pressure-sensitive
substrate to evaluate the ability of toothbrush bristles to
penetrate below simulated gingival tissues around posterior tooth
shapes and to remove artificial plaque under wet brushing
conditions. The maximum depth of the plaque deposit removed is
defined as subgingival access efficacy (SAE).
[0060] The purpose of these studies was to evaluate the Test
Toothbrush and toothbrushes A and B for Gingival Margin Cleaning
and Subgingival Access Efficacy.
Methods and Materials
[0061] The products tested in this assay were the Test toothbrush,
and toothbrushes A and B as identified above. Six products from
each group were tested four times in each individual assay for a
total of 24 evaluations. The laboratory equipment was fabricated to
the design of Nygaard-Ostby, Edvardsen and Spydevold. Simulated
gingivae were prepared from self-curing dental acrylic. The
marginal anatomy was developed using dental textbook guidelines.
The space between the acrylic gingivae and the tooth shapes was 0.2
mm. The brushing technique was a horizontal brushing motion,
simulated posterior teeth and an applied brushing weight of 500
g.
Gingival Margin Cleaning
[0062] The tooth brushing technique involved independent
evaluations of each toothbrush in a horizontal brushing motion,
tooth shapes simulating posterior teeth and a brushing weight of
500 g. The toothbrush to be tested was aligned with the papillae of
the gingival margin and the brushing apparatus was set to brush for
60 seconds at two strokes per second with a 15 mm stroke. For
cleaning at the gingival margin (GMC), the length of the artificial
plaque deposit removed was recorded at the junction of the
simulated gingivae and pressure-sensitive paper. Readings were
measured in mm with 3.times. magnification by one investigator. The
data were analyzed using t-tests for statistical significance
between the three groups, assuming unequal variances.
Subgingival Access
[0063] Each toothbrush to be tested was aligned with the papillae
of the gingival margin, and the brushing apparatus was set to brush
for 30 seconds at two strokes per second with a 15 mm stroke
length. The maximum depth of the plaque deposit removed (SAE) was
recorded on an artificial plaque-covered substrate placed under the
simulated gingivae and around the posterior-shaped teeth. Readings
were measured in millimeter units with 3.times. magnification by
one investigator. Descriptive statistics (mean and standard
deviation) were calculated for the toothbrushes tested. A
comparison of mean SAE was conducted using two-sample t-tests
assuming unequal variances.
Results
[0064] The Test toothbrush was found to be statistically superior
(p<0.001) compared to Toothbrushes A and B in GMC and SAE as
shown in Tables 4 and 5 below.
TABLE-US-00004 TABLE 4 Gingival Margin Cleaning (GMC) Toothbrush
Mean (standard deviation) Test Toothbrush 9.6 (1.1) Toothbrush A
4.5 (3.1) Toothbrush B 1.4 (1.6)
TABLE-US-00005 TABLE 5 Subgingival Access Efficacy (SAE) Toothbrush
Mean (standard deviation) Test Toothbrush 3.7 (0.5) Toothbrush A
0.9 (0.5) Toothbrush B 0.5 (1.4)
Conclusions
[0065] These laboratory studies were conducted to evaluate cleaning
efficacy at the gingival margin (GMC) and the depth of artificial
plaque removal between a toothbrush of this invention, and three
toothbrush products. In these laboratory studies, the Dr Best
Zwischenzahn.TM. toothbrush was found to be significantly
(p<0.001) more effective for the gingival margin cleaning and
subgingival access efficacy area compared to Toothbrushes A and
B.
[0066] Referring to FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 another toothbrush head 20
overall is shown, having a bristle surface 21 from which tufts 22
(generally) extend in a bristle direction "B". The head 20 is
integrally extended longitudinally as a neck region 23 linking the
head to a grip handle 24. The head 20, neck 23 and handle 24 are
made of a plastics material with a rubbery grip pad 25. The
toothbrush shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 is a manual toothbrush.
[0067] The tufts 22 are disposed in a pattern comprising a
relatively inner cluster of plural tufts 26 each of which contains
relatively longer bristles which taper from their lower end toward
their upper end, and plural relatively outer tufts of relatively
shorter bristles 27. The tufts 26 consist entirely of relatively
longer bristles which taper. The plural relatively outer tufts 27
are disposed as an outer perimeter ring of tufts around all sides
of the relatively inner tufts 26. The plural relatively outer tufts
27 consist entirely of tufts which consist of bristles which are of
uniform cross section along their lower-upper length.
[0068] The shorter outer tufts 27 are ca. 10 mm long, and the
longer inner tufts 26 are ca. 13 mm long. The bristle filaments of
the tufts 26, 27 are made of the polyamide material Nylon,
typically that sold under the name Tynex.TM., and are typically
0.1-0.25 mm in diameter.
[0069] The longer tapered bristle filaments 26 are single ended
tapered filaments.
[0070] FIG. 5 shows a toothbrush head in which at the end of the
tuft pattern furthest from the toothbrush handle 24, being the "tip
end" the upper ends of the outer tufts 28 lie in a plane, that
increases in its distance from the bristle surface 21 with
longitudinal distance away from the handle 24. These tufts 28 are
disposed in a polygon of the outer tufts 28.
* * * * *