TOOTHPICK

An improved dental floss which comprises a length at one end that is of conventional dental floss construction and which comprises the remaining length being porous so that when pre-soaked, prior to use, in an antiseptic mouthwash solution, the antiseptic is delivered into remote crevices between the...     

A stabilized, flavored dental article for cleaning the interproximal surfaces of the teeth such as dental floss or dental tape comprising filaments with a wax coating containing spray-dried flavor particles.

A durable dental floss comprised of aromatic polyamide fibers having at least 85 percent of the amide linkages attached directly to two aromatic rings. The floss is heat stable, hydrophobic and has a high tenacity.

A variable diameter tooth cleaner formed by a plurality of elongate filaments to have a brush portion and a string portion with the string portion having two parts and with the brush portion being placed between the two parts. The string parts may be flexible or for spaces associated with fixed bridges...     

A stabilized, flavored dental article for cleaning the interproximal surfaces of the teeth such as dental floss or dental tape comprising filaments with a non-wax polymeric coating containing spray-dried flavor particles.

Conventional dental floss is provided with loops at convenient intervals along its length. The person using the dental floss can insert a finger from each hand into two adjacent loops to obtain a firm grip on the dental floss while it is being used to remove particles from between the teeth. The dental...     

There is disclosed herein a reusable toothpick and container assembly. The assembly includes a toothpick having an elongated blade terminating at one end in a tip for removing debris from between the user's teeth and having at the other end a cap by which the toothpick can be grasped. The container is...     

A spool of thread, such as dental floss, is housed in a two-part shell or holder, preferably made of plastic, one of the two parts having a central post coaxially located therein. The thread or floss is wound on a bobbin having a clutch molded in its hub area. The clutch comprises a split cylinder having...     

A spool of thread, such as dental floss, is housed in a holder, preferably made of plastic. The thread or floss is wound on a bobbin having a hollow, cylindrical hub area. A clutch for controlling the bobbin rotation comprises a split post having an enlarged cross section near the center thereof. The...     

An elongated preferably plastic handle has a sleeve lock on the tip end. When a twisted wire brush is placed in the handle, there is a guy wire effect from the sleeve which holds the brush firmly in place, as the sleeve stretches slightly over a bent end of the twisted wire of the brush. The inventive...     

A new and improved dental floss having a relatively large diameter to provide an increased surface area, and comprised of a multitude of fibers overlaid upon each other such that a number of the fiber ends extend beyond the main body of the dental floss and are somewhat self-supporting. The dental floss...     

A reusable strip of perforated stainless steel for use following prophylaxis to remove any remaining plaque, calculus, and stains from interproximal surfaces and contact areas of the teeth without abrading or damaging tooth enamel.

The present invention relates to a novel and improved dental floss dispenser and a container for the same. The dispenser consists of a body portion adapted to carry a spool of dental floss and has means at one end thereof for enabling lengths of the floss to be withdrawn from the body portion for use....     

A toothpick for cleaning teeth and for gingival stimulation consists of a four-sided sheet of thin polymeric material curled back upon itself to form a hollow body having a forwardly tapering layered front end with spiraling ridges and either an enlarged central and rear portion or an enlarged central...     

An animated dental floss dispenser capable of visually simulating the flossingg of a person's teeth and the simultaneous dispensing of dental floss.

An interproximal toothbrush comprises an elongated metal handle terminating at one end in a threaded section. The stem of a twisted wire brush passes through a hole in said threaded section, humps up above the threads, and then passes down into a groove in the handle. A nut travels on the threads until...     

A teeth-cleaning device includes a rod-shaped, small diameter strand about which is surrounded a softer, floss-type material. The rod-shaped material is of sufficient stiffness to allow it to be used to remove food particles lodged between teeth, but sufficiently flexible to allow the invention to be...     

A device is disclosed for cleaning teeth and adjacent areas comprising a shaft with a cleaning end, a flexible rest with an opening through which the shaft extends which is operative to be pressed against the teeth and adjacent areas to stabilize the position of the device, and a securing apparatus secured...     

The tool is designed for use by a denture wearer after the chemical cleaning of the denture or partial denture in the home. The tool is a double ended instrument with two blades mounted on opposite ends of an elongated handle, which handle preferably has a square cross-section and is made of plastic....     

A toothpick holder for holding a toothpick in any one of several adjusted positions for facilitating access to difficult to reach areas of the mouth, includes a handle with a toothpick retainer projecting perpendicularly therefrom, with aligned openings in the retainer for snugly receiving a toothpick....     

A fluoridated dental article for cleaning the interproximal surfaces of the teeth, such as dental floss or dental tape, comprising filaments coated with a wax coating that is in turn coated with a polymeric coating containing a fluoride salt.

A novel dental tape for cleaning between the teeth is described. The tape is made of strong, flexible, non-tacky, non-toxic polymer which has rows of protuberances on which foreign particles between the teeth get caught and are removed as the tape is moved between the teeth.

An oral hygiene device is comprised of a hollow housing, having a weakened section in the periphery of the housing so that when the weakened section is broken, a user may grasp and separate the housing into two portions. A length of dental floss-like material is totally encased within a cavity in the...     

The disclosure concerns an improved dental hygiene technique for removing plaque from human teeth wherein a loop of multifilament flossing thread is trained about fingers on opposite hands of the user and worked in the spaces between the teeth while maintained taut. The flossing loop may be joint-free...     

A fluoride-coated dental floss which has enhanced bactericidal activity and a process for manufacturing the product, which includes dissolving a fluoride composition in a suitable solvent, homogenizing the mixture with a melted water-soluble wax, and applying the resulting composition to dental floss.

A dental floss consisting of filaments containing a higher melting point core material and a lower melting point sheath material whereby the sheath material fibers are fused by subjecting them to a sufficient temperature to achieve same.

A toothpick holder for holding toothpicks in different positions to facilitate access to different portions of the mouth. The holder includes a handle with a pair of arms thereon each having a toothpick receiving opening therein and oriented to position the toothpick received in one opening for gaining...     

An oral hygiene device is comprised of a hollow housing having a weakened section in the periphery of the housing so that when the weakened section is broken, a user may grasp and separate the housing into two portions. A length of stretchable dental material is totally encased within a cavity in the...     

A fluoride-coated dental floss which has enhanced bactericidal activity and a process for manufacturing the product, which includes dissolving a fluoride composition in a suitable solvent, homogenizing the mixture with a melted water-soluble wax, and applying the resulting composition to dental floss.

A disposable dental cleaning device that combines the portability and utility features of a toothpick with the cleaning ability of a brush is provided. A linear member of a semi-resilient material has a brush attached to one end and may be provided with a conventional point or rounded tip at the opposite...     

A toothpick has a body part with two body portions which are movable relative to one another to assume different angles. The toothpick can be filled with a substance which is then expelled by squeezing or displacing a part of it. Both ends of the toothpick can be formed as working ends with different...     

A method and a product employed in the method for the mechanical and cheml removal of dental plaques are disclosed. The method comprises providing cotton filaments of a size suitable for passing between teeth as a dental floss, chemically impregnating the cotton filaments by soaking in a saturated solution...     

A flossing device to floss bacterial plaque off tooth structures, including teeth and osseous implanted abutments, said flossing device comprising a leader with affixed cord. The leader is provided with a hook portion, preferably formed by and integral with the leader; the leader being bent back upon...     

An endless article (10) for cleaning between teeth is disclosed as including a first segment (18) of an elastic material and also a second segment (20) of an inelastic material bonded together by their ends to form the endless article (10). The endless article (10) includes a directionally effective...     

An oral hygiene device is comprised of a hollow housing having a weakened section in the periphery of the housing so that when the weakened section is broken, a user may grasp and separate the housing into two portions. A length of stretchable dental material and dentifrice is totally encased within...     

A dental floss dispenser that includes a body having a cavity for holding a spool of the dental floss and a cover removably mounted on the body providing access to the cavity. There is an outlet hole in the body member for pulling therethrough the string of the dental floss. There are a series of side-by-side...     

The periodontal pocket cleaner is a device for removing material from a periodontal sulcus or periodontal pocket and for ascertaining and monitoring bleeding and suppuration within the sulcus or pocket. The pocket cleaner is a disposable item composed of a soft hardwood or similarly appropriate wood....     

A disposable single use package comprised of a short length of dental floss integrated in a sanitary packet. The packet is formed by first and second members releasably attached to one another to form a sanitary interior compartment for accommodating the length of dental floss.

An orthodontic device comprising filament and one or more retaining sheaths through which the filament is looped, useful for retaining wires on orthodontic brackets.

Dental pick brush apparatus includes a shaft with a toothpick portion at one end and a bristle portion at the other end. The bristle portion includes a ball secured to the shaft and relatively short bristles extending outwardly from the ball in virtually all directions. The relatively short bristles,...     

A dental cleaner in the nature of a toothpick has an elongated stable support which is covered with fine plastic flock particles of a small diameter in order to effectively clean small gaps between the teeth, between bridge anchors and in the sulcus region and to function as a type of "micro-bottle cleaner"...     

Dental floss is covered with patches of fluoride so that a flossing procedure will expose a user's teeth to a source of flouride. The floss is either ribbon like or string like.

The present invention discloses a dental stimulator, e.g., one or more segments of wood (balsa, birch, bass, etc.) treated with one or more surfactants or emulsifiers (as a cleaning substance) and one or more coating substances, insoluble in said cleaning substance. The loading rate for these materials...     

A dental flossing cord is made from only a single kind of material. The inventive cord has a leader portion which is created by causing the multi-strands of the cord to cling together in a unified mass, preferably by an ultrasonic heat treatment which welds the strands together. The invention is especially...     

Improved dental floss comprising a first end, a central portion and a second end, with the first and second ends having relatively increased cross-sectional dimensions relative to the central portion. The increased cross-sectional dimensions of the end portions enhance the ease and comfort of holding...     

A filamentary article (8) free of silk-like fibers is disclosed, made out of an elastomeric material for use in dental hygiene. The article (8) is stretchable for proportionately reducing its cross section so that a sector (1) thereof, can enter between the teeth. The article (8) provides cuts along...     

Dental floss and toothpicks (picks) incorporate one or more coagulants to retard and stop bleeding during flossing. In addition, or alternatively, the floss and picks incorporate tartar control, antiplaque and/or anti-bacterial agents.

Fluorocarbon polymer powder particles, e.g. particulate PTFE, are included, as a solid lubricant, in the binder applied to dental floss or tape.

A flat flexible strip has a length by means of which it can be reciprocated longitudinally in rubbing engagement with tooth surfaces. The strip is constructed of crossed strands forming cross ridges in surfaces of the strip that produce a frictional scrubbing engagement against teeth surfaces when the...     

The periodontal pocket cleaner is a device for cleaning the deeper recesses of a periodontal pocket by the removal of debris material. The device can also be employed for ascertaining and monitoring bleeding and suppuration within such pocket so as to detect the onset of an inflamation or other pathology...     

An interdental toothbrush has a hinged cap on the end of an elongated handle. The cap has a hole which is positioned relative to a groove so that a twisted wire brush may be locked into place simply by inserting it and closing the cap.

Porous, high strength (that is, "Expanded") polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) dental floss is coated with microcrystalline wax. If desired, the floss may also incorporate one or more actives tartar control anti-caries antiplaque and/or antibacterial actives and/or dentally acceptable agents such as polishing...     

Nicotine treated dental floss is disclosed which is useful in alleviating tobacco smokers' urges to smoke.

A device for cleaning teeth comprising a stiff plastic filament one section of which is curly in shape. This curly section has a longitudinal axis along which tensional forces lie when tensional forces are applied to stretch the device. This curly section also extends laterally to provide contact lines...     

A bristled dental floss comprised of a plurality of sub-fibers each having a plurality of bristles secured thereto. The sub-fibers, bristles, or both, may be stiffened with wax, TEFLON, nylon, or like material. The bristled dental floss has improved cleaning and massaging ability facilitating the dislodging...     

A dental appliance in which an elongated handle has a rectangular aperture at one end for removably receiving an insert with a rectangular cross section hub that has at least one elongated detent channel which is engageable with a complementary elongated protuberance within the aperture. The channel...     

A dental floss in which an inelastic strand is tightly wrapped around an elastic strand of a certain length and firmly tied at each end of the elastic strand is provided. To remove matter from interproximal area between tightly spaced adjacent teeth, only the inelastic strand is used, while both the...     

The present invention discloses dental floss containing surfactant and silicone preparations with added chemotherapeutic agents.

An oral hygiene device employs a hollow plastic tube sealed at both ends. At least one area along the length of the tube is weakened and has its diameter in the weakened area reduced, but not reduced to zero diameter. A length of fiber, such as conventional dental floss well known as a tooth cleaning...     

An integrally formed dental floss and leader which lends itseld to oral prophylaxis especially for implants and bridges. The floss is captured by the leader through a hinged door which swings from an open to a closed position during fabrication to provide an integral unit for use by a floss user.

A dental cleaning instrument for cleaning the interproximal area between teeth is constructed with three threads of yarn. The first thread is initially supported on a first post and a second thread of yarn is supported on a second post. The third thread is wound on a bobbin and then interlaced around...     

An interdental toothbrush has a hinged locking retainer on the end of an elongated handle. The locking retainer has a hole which is positioned relative to a groove in the handle so that a twisted wire brush may be locked into place simply by inserting it and closing the retainer. A latch on the locking...     

A gum stimulator is disclosed which has a removable brush composed of a high-density of soft thin fibers. The brush tip is disposed on a handle, which may comprise an end of a toothbrush, and is mounted on a shaft which extends from the handle. In one embodiment, the brush extends at an angle of about...     

A dental floss is produced from expanded polytetrafluoroethylene that has been coated with a friction enhancing coating such as a microcrystalline wax to increase the friction coefficient of the floss. The polytetrafluoroethylene is preferably expanded to form a structure having a plurality of nodes...     

An improved device for holding and manipulating dental floss for the removal of food particles, tartar and plaque from the teeth is described in which a loop of dental floss is connected between a pair of separate handles; the loop of dental floss being long enough to permit lateral motion across the...     

A process for making a flattened, highly flavored floss and the floss product of that process. The process comprises coating a multi-filament thread with a first liquid or semi-solid wax composition having a high melting temperature and cooling the coating to a temperature at which the first wax composition...     

A personal toothpick comprises a curved handle with a thin wire hollow form at each end, designed to enter the smallest space between teeth to extract impacted food particles in between teeth and gums. The handle is of a modified s-shaped configuration with thin wire forms extending outwardly therefrom...     

A toothpick has an elongated body portion having an upwardly extending ridge and a pair of angulated legs defining a longitudinal groove, a tooth gap traversing tip which is substantially flat relatively long and tapers to a point for substantially traversing the gap between adjacent teeth, and a tooth...     

A method for desensitizing teeth includes applying an effective amount of charged polymeric particles to the surface of the tooth.

The present invention provides a teeth cleaning apparatus which is a composite of oral cleaning implements. An elongated member has one pointed tip for cleaning between the teeth and a second end having a scoop shape for dislodging particulate matter from hard to reach places. The extended shaft portion...     

A germicidal dental floss having a coating of the active material typically a phenol derivative/compound removably fixed thereon by a binder such as wax. The active material is rubbed off by contact with the teeth thereby treating areas between the teeth and gums for improved oral hygiene.

An anti-microbial composition includes particles having an outer surface onto which an anti-microbial agent has been adsorbed. The particles can be used, for example, for coating the bristles of toothbrushes.

An interproximal brush for carrying on the person has an elongated one piece body member of elastomeric material forming a planar surface disposed between two leg members from which a substantially rigid boss extends for supporting a brush member. A plurality of hinges are formed in the body member at...     

An integrally formed dental floss and leader which lends itself to oral prophylaxis especially for implants and bridges. The floss is captured by the leader through a hinged door which swings from an open to a closed position during fabrication to provide an integral unit for use by a floss user when...     

A teeth cleaning element containing threading end portions for cleaning relatively large spaces in the teeth consists of from about 400 to about 800 filaments in an elongated bundle that is from about 1,200 to 2,400 about denier. The filaments at the mid-portion of the length of the bundle are textured...     

In a holding device comprising a handle and a holding section for exchangeably arresting a dental cleaning brush with a wire stem, the holding section having a bore extending about perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the holder and approximately corresponding to the diameter of the wire stem...     

An article of dental floss particularly for hygienic maintenance of titanium abutments which is in the form of a ribbon or an elongated strip of woven or non-woven flexible moisture-absorbent material having adequate strength when wet to resist breaking when pulled back and forth adjacent teeth abutments...     

A method of and system for the treatment of periodontal diseases is disclosed wherein a patient, using a delivery device, applies a medicament directly to the infected site. The delivery device may comprise a piece of tufted dental floss, an interdental brush, a syringe, or a night time application tray...     

An interdental toothbrush has a hinged locking retainer on the end of an elongated handle. The locking retainer has a hole which is positioned relative to a groove in the handle so that a twisted wire brush may be locked into place simply by inserting it and closing the retainer. A latch on the locking...     

Novel gelatinous compositions and articles are formed from an intimate melt blend admixture of poly(styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene) triblock copolymer and high levels of a plasticizing oil. The gelatinous composition is transparent and have a novel combination of properties including unexpectedly...     

Novel composites are formed from a low rigidity gelatinous elastomer composition of poly(styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene) triblock copolymer and high levels of a plasticizing oil. The gelatinous elastomer composition is physically interlocked with an open cell sponge thereby displacing the air space...     

A toothpick assembly which includes a pointed lower end to piercingly connect to a piece of garnish, such as an olive or a cherry, and a buoyant float about the toothpick and adjacent the upper end of the toothpick to float a piece of garnish in a beverage which can be retrieved by grasping the upper...     

An interdental toothbrush has a hinged locking retainer on the end of an elongated handle for capturing the stem of a twisted wire brush. The locking retainer has a hole which is adapted to receive the stem of a twisted wire brush. A land is formed in the handle adjacent the groove so that the wire brush...     

Dental floss or tape is impregnated and/or coated with a pH sensitive dye which changes color in an acid environment, thus alerting the user to the potential presence of dental caries. The floss or tape may incorporate a wax to restrict leaching of the dye.

A process for making a shaped, highly flavored floss and the floss product of that process. The process comprises coating a multi-filament thread with a first liquid or semi-solid wax composition having a high melting temperature and cooling the coating to a temperature at which the first wax composition...     

A toothbrush (10) for applying an electrical stimulus to the gingival region has an electrode (40) on the handle and an electrode (22) having nibs (24) at the base of the bristles (20). Electronic circuitry (28) is housed in the handle (14) for applying a bipolar voltage waveform, which is preferably...     

An interproximal brush for carrying on the person has an elongated one piece body member of elastomeric material forming a planar surface disposed between two leg members from which a substantially rigid boss extends for supporting a brush member. A plurality of hinges are formed in the body member at...     

An improved floatable toothpick assembly which includes a pointed lower end to piercingly connect to a piece of garnish, such as an olive or a cherry, and a buoyant float about the toothpick and adjacent the upper end zone of the toothpick so as to float a piece of garnish in a beverage which can be...     

A dental hygiene device for interstitial or interproximal cleaning comprising a handle (20) having spaced arms (21,22) and a reusable monofilament (23), which replaces the normal dental floss, stretched across the arms (21,22). The monofilament (23) may be hollow, have elastomeric properties and/or deliver...     

A dental floss or tape has a multifilament polyamide core and a continuous PTFE coating applied by passing the core through an aqueous PTFE dispersion and heating the deposited particles such that they coalesce into a layer without substantially effecting the structure of the core.

A dental instrument comprises an angular-fashioned metal pick 12 secured to a solid rectangular or square handle and projects from one end thereof. The pick is shaped in an angular configuration, with its stem embedded into the handle, then extended outward along the longitudinal axis of the handle....     

Dental floss having a wax or similar caoting impregnated with a nascent oxygen generating agent such as calcium peroxide.

A holder for an interdental toothcleaner of the type having a substantially rigid but flexible stem and cleaning means on the stem. The holder includes a neck having a tip projection radially therefrom adjacent one end thereof and a slot extending longitudinally therealong from the one end and diametrically...     

An interdental handle having a molded-in-place twisted wire brush that includes a handle having a generally tapered first portion of reduced cross-section at one end with a flexing and substantially resilient capability, and a second portion of a larger cross-section at an opposite end which is relatively...     

A dental floss brush made from a reverse twisted, high tenacity nylon yarn comprising at least two thread sections having diameters, in their relaxed state, of at least 2.5 min. The thread sections are separated by a floss brush section integral therewith having a diameter of from up to 4 mm in its relaxed...     

A length of dental floss having a series of spaced members of different sizes along the length. In the preferred embodiment, the size of the spaced members increase by regular increments from one end.

The present disclosure relates to an improved floss implement comprising a composite of a multifilament yarn bonded to an extruded monofilament. Both elements are made of polymer compounds, preferably nylon, to provide desired ease of use of the monofilament as a leader to pass the implement easily between...     

An anti-microbial composition includes particles having an outer surface onto which an anti-microbial agent has been adsorbed. The particles can be used, for example, for coating the bristles of toothbrushes.

An article is provided for facilitating oral prophylaxis. The article comprises a continuous, elongated fiber of polytetrafluoroethylene having at least one substantially rigid first portion and a substantially flexible second portion comprised of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene.

A reusable dental floss holder to fasten securely a length of floss at its ends in lieu of winding ends of the length of floss around fingers for removing food particles and plaque from teeth surfaces has cover and base members engaging with each other to fasten the floss to be manipulated easily by...