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Disposable oral hygiene instruments and packages and methods for storing and dispensing same

Disposable oral hygiene instruments and packages and methods for storing and dispensing same description/claims

This patent application is a continuation-in-part of the co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/300,176 filed Nov. 20, 2002 and entitled “DISPOSABLE ORAL HYGIENE INSTRUMENTS AND PACKAGES AND METHODS FOR STORING AND DISPENSING SAME” which is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/282,643 filed Oct. 29, 2002 and entitled “DISPOSABLE ORAL HYGIENE INSTRUMENTS AND PACKAGES AND METHODS FOR STORING AND DISPENSING SAME” which claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (e) of the U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/339,086, filed Oct. 30, 2001. The U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/300,176 filed Nov. 20, 2002 and entitled “DISPOSABLE ORAL HYGIENE INSTRUMENTS AND PACKAGES AND METHODS FOR STORING AND DISPENSING SAME”, the U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/282,643 filed Oct. 29, 2002 and entitled “DISPOSABLE ORAL HYGIENE INSTRUMENTS AND PACKAGES AND METHODS FOR STORING AND DISPENSING SAME” and the U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/339,086, filed Oct. 30, 2001 are all hereby incorporated by reference.

The present invention relates generally to methods and devices for facilitating maintenance of good oral hygiene. More particularly, the present invention is related to novel instruments for maintaining oral hygiene, and packages and methods for storing and dispensing such instruments

As further background, conventional oral hygiene practices are designed to protect and maintain in good health and condition three main components—the teeth, gums, and tongue. Brushing one's teeth has become a fairly routine practice in society, with medium to soft bristle brushes being recommended along with toothpaste to remove plaque and food particles on and in between the teeth and gums. Although perhaps less widely practiced, the use of dental floss to clean between the teeth and gums is also a common practice. Current recommendations include such use of dental floss at least once daily to help remove materials which may cause tooth decay and a consequent need for treatment.

Dental practitioners recommend the use of a regular toothbrush with paste to brush the tongue. In addition, tongue cleaners are available and are used to scrape debris from the tongue as a separate practice from regular brushing and flossing. Nonetheless, tongue cleaning is perhaps the least practiced of these oral hygiene components. It is currently estimated that only one out of ten individuals clean their tongues each day.

The tongue serves multiple purposes in the mouth including to taste, to transfer food between teeth during chewing, and to participate in speech. In the course of daily eating habits a distinctive layer of plaque, bacteria, tongue debris or other material builds on the tongue. Excessive plaque can interfere with taste, and cause bad breath. Mouthwash and mouth fresheners may help to reduce bad breath but they do not eliminate the root cause. Improved habits and devices are thus needed to eliminate that root cause—tongue plaque. While a substantial percentage of the population may attempt to use a toothbrush to clean their tongue, the toothbrush is not designed for this purpose. The flexible bristles on the toothbrush do not provide sufficient resistance to effectively scrape away plaque on the tongue. In addition, the motion provided by the user may not be sufficiently symmetric about the tongue to cover most of its area. Moreover, the use of a toothbrush to clean the tongue can lead to choking or gagging, especially in children and adolescents.

While instruments have been proposed that are especially adapted for tongue cleaning, they have typically been inconvenient to use, to clean, and to store. Thus there exist needs for improved tongue cleaning instruments which are convenient to use, store and dispense. The present invention is addressed to these needs

Accordingly, in one aspect, the present invention provides a package for dispensing devices for cleaning tongue surfaces. The package includes a container having an opening, and a plurality of devices disposed within the container, wherein the devices each include at least one edge adapted to clean tongue surfaces. In accordance with this aspect of the invention, the devices are connected to one another, but are separable from one another at breakaway points in between individual ones of the devices. These devices are dispensable through the opening in the container.

Another embodiment of the invention provides an article of manufacture that includes a strip having a plurality of devices for cleaning tongue surfaces, wherein the devices each have at least one edge adapted to clean tongue surfaces. The devices are separable from one another at breakaway points on the strip that occur in between individual ones of the devices.

In another embodiment, the invention provides a device for cleaning tongue surfaces that includes a central portion having at least one edge adapted to clean tongue surfaces. The device includes a first grip portion at a first end of the central portion, and a second grip portion at a second end of the central portion. The first and second grip portions each have a surface having proturbences therefrom to facilitate gripping during use. The central portion of the device is in a curved condition, or is deformable to a curve condition by manipulation of the first and second grip portions.

Another embodiment of the invention relates to a package for dispensing devices for cleaning tongue surfaces. The package includes a container having an opening, and a strip disposed in the container and containing a plurality of devices for cleaning tongue surfaces. Each of the devices has at least one edge adapted to clean tongue surfaces. The strip is dispensable through the opening, and the package includes a cutting element arranged for cutting the strip to separate devices from the strip.

In another embodiment, the present invention provides a package for dispensing devices for cleaning tongue surfaces. The package includes a container having an opening. A plurality of devices for cleaning tongue surfaces is disposed in the container, wherein each device has at least one edge adapted to clean tongue surfaces. The devices are dispensable through the opening and are arranged in the container in a fashion wherein dispensing a first device from the opening presents a second device at the opening for subsequent dispensing.

The present invention is directed to a system with a yoke structure and a tongue scraping ribbon or strip attached thereto. In accordance with the embodiments of the invention the tongue scraping ribbon or strip detachably couples to the arms of the yoke structure and/or the yoke structure detachably couples to a handle portion. Tongue scraping ribbons or strips in accordance with the embodiments of the invention, are made from any number of materials or combination materials, such as plastics and foams. Tongue scraping ribbons or strips are contoured, patterned, textured or shaped in any number of different ways. The tongue scraping ribbons or strips are, in accordance with the embodiments of the invention, coated with and/or include a whitening agent, an anti-bacterial agent, an anti-microbial agent, a flavoring agent or a combination thereof.

The system in accordance with the embodiments of the invention includes container unit or dispenser unit for dispensing the tongue scraping ribbons or strips from a spool of tongue scraping ribbons or strips. The container unit or dispenser unit, such as described above and below, has any number of different shapes and configuration. Preferably, the container unit or dispenser unit is also configured to dispense floss from a spool of floss that is concentrically position with respect the spool of tongue scraping ribbons or strips.

In accordance with alternative embodiments of the invention, ribbons or strips that are dispensable from the container unit or dispenser unit, such as described above and below, are formed from gum, gelatine or any other chewable or eatable material or materials and include a whitening agent, an anti-bacterial agent, an anti-microbial agent, a flavoring agent or any combination thereof. Where the ribbons or strips are formed from gelatine, the ribbons or strips are preferably placed along a tooth and gum line within an oral cavity and dissolve to release the whitening agent, the anti-bacterial agent, the anti-microbial agent, the flavoring agent or the combination thereof. Where the ribbons or strips are formed from gum, the strips or ribbons are preferably chewed and release the whitening agent, the anti-bacterial agent, the anti-microbial agent, the flavoring agent or the combination thereof while in the oral cavity. Additional features, advantages and embodiments of the invention will be apparent from the description below.

• Provisional Patent
• Utility Patent

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