Abstract: An oral care implement including at least one multi-component bristle. In one aspect, the invention can be an oral care implement having a handle; a head coupled to the handle; at least one bristle tuft extending from the head, the at least one bristle tuft comprising at least one multi-component bristle comprising first and second components. The first component may include a first plastic and a first oral care additive and the second component may include a second plastic and a second oral care additive such that the first oral care additive is different than the second oral care additive.

Abstract: In some embodiments, an oral care system includes a toothbrush and a smart device removably retained in the toothbrush and having a plurality of sensors for sensing conditions of the oral cavity. The sensors may include sensors that obtain information while the smart device is retained in the toothbrush and sensors that obtain information while the smart device is separated from the toothbrush.

Abstract: A toothbrush is provided that includes a base component having a gripping region and an oral engaging region defining a longitudinal axis along a length of the oral engaging region and a transverse axis along a width of the oral engaging region. The oral engaging region has bilateral symmetry with respect to the longitudinal axis and can comprise wherein the oral engaging region has bilateral symmetry with respect to the longitudinal axis and comprises a first distal region having an approximately concave contour tapering to a second middle region having an approximately convex contour and widening to a third proximal region having an approximately concave contour. The oral engaging region can support a plurality of cleaning elements along a front side and a plurality of soft cleaning elements along a second side opposite the first.

Abstract: An oral care implement (100) including at least multi-component bristle. The oral care implement (100) comprises a handle (120); a head (110) coupled to the handle (120); at least one bristle tuft extending from the head, the at least one bristle tuft comprises at least one multi-component bristle (200) comprising coextruded core (210) and sheath components (220), the sheath component (220) surrounding a first portion (215) of the core component (210), and a second portion (216) of the core component (210) protruding from the sheath component (220) at a tip portion (230) of the multi-component bristle (200); the sheath component (220) comprises a first plastic and a first oral care additive; the core component (210) comprises a second plastic and a second oral care additive, wherein the first oral care additive is different than the second oral care additive.

Abstract: An oral care product array includes a handle component and multiple refill components therefor. The handle component includes a power source. A first refill component includes a first light generating module which emits light in a first spectrum from the first refill component. A second refill component includes a second light generating module which emits light in a second spectrum from the second refill component. Each refill component has a coupled state, when coupled to the handle component, and a decoupled state, when decoupled from the handle component. When the first refill component is in the coupled state, the first light generating module is powered by the power source to emit light in the first spectrum. When the second refill component is in the coupled state, the second light generating module is powered by the power source to emit light in the second spectrum.

Abstract: A spiral bristle (201) includes: a first component (231), a second component (233), and a third component (235), with each of the second and third components (233, 235) wrapping around the first component (231) in a helical and spaced-apart manner, the second and third components (233, 235) isolated from one another by the first component (231). An oral care implement includes the spiral bristle.

Abstract: A light-emitting oral care implement includes a light delivery unit that includes a passageway through a body of the oral care implement and a tuft comprising a plurality of filaments located in the passageway, each of the filaments having a core component and a sheath component. The core component may have a transmittance that is greater than the transmittance of the sheath component. The core component may include a base portion that protrudes from a lower end of the sheath component, the base portion forming an anchor portion of the tuft that anchors the tuft to the body of the oral care implement. Furthermore, the oral care implement may include a light source that transmits lights through the anchor portion of the tuft and through the core components for transmittance from the filaments at a location above a front surface of the body.

Abstract: A bristle and a tooth brush incorporating the same. A toothbrush (100) having a handle (120), a head (110) coupled to the handle (120), and at least one bristle that comprising a composition including a polymer and fibroin particles.

Abstract: A monofilament bristle (200) is disclosed that comprises coextruded core (210) and sheath components (220). The sheath component (220) has an outer surface (218) and surrounds a first portion (215) of the core component (210). A second portion (216) of the core component (210) protrudes from a top terminal end (203) of the sheath component (220) to form an exposed tip portion (203). In one embodiment, the exposed tip portion (203) of the core component (210) has an outer surface (217) that includes friction-enhancing features. In another embodiment, the exposed tip portion (203) is tapered and has an outer surface (217) with a first roughness and the outer surface (218) of the sheath component (220) has a second roughness, the second roughness being greater than the first roughness In a further embodiment, the core component (210) has an outer surface (217) configured to have higher coefficient of friction than the outer surface (218) of the sheath component (220).

Abstract: A toothbrush is provided that includes a base component having a gripping region and an oral engaging region defining a longitudinal axis along a length of the oral engaging region and a transverse axis along a width of the oral engaging region. The oral engaging region has bilateral symmetry with respect to the longitudinal axis and can comprise wherein the oral engaging region has bilateral symmetry with respect to the longitudinal axis and comprises a first distal region having an approximately concave contour tapering to a second middle region having an approximately convex contour and widening to a third proximal region having an approximately concave contour. The oral engaging region can support a plurality of cleaning elements along a front side and a plurality of soft cleaning elements along a second side opposite the first.

Abstract: An oral care implement including at least one multi-component bristle. In one aspect, the invention can be an oral care implement having a handle; a head coupled to the handle; at least one bristle tuft extending from the head, the at least one bristle tuft comprising at least one multi-component bristle comprising first and second components. The first component may include a first plastic and a first oral care additive and the second component may include a second plastic and a second oral care additive such that the first oral care additive is different than the second oral care additive.

Abstract: A toothbrush (100) having a combination of tapered and non-tapered cleaning elements (50) for enhanced cleaning effects and having a plurality of tapered bristle tufts of differing tuft configurations including, a first tapered bristle tuft (500) having a dome-shaped bristle tip profile (520) toward one end (210) of the head (200), a second tapered bristle tuft (602) having an arcuate-shaped bristle configuration (622) toward an opposite end (222) of the head (200), and a plurality of laterally-extending third tapered bristle tufts (600) arranged in an alternating fashion with non-tapered bristle tufts (630) and disposed between the first and second tapered bristle tufts (500, 602).

Abstract: In some embodiments, an oral care system includes a toothbrush and a smart device removably retained in the toothbrush and having a plurality of sensors for sensing conditions of the oral cavity. The sensors may include sensors that obtain information while the smart device is retained in the toothbrush and sensors that obtain information while the smart device is separated from the toothbrush.

Abstract: An oral care implement including at least one spiral bristle. In one aspect, the invention can be an oral care implement having a handle; a head coupled to the handle; at least one bristle tuft extending from the head, the at least one bristle tuft comprising at least one spiral bristle comprising coextruded first and second strand components that are intertwined together to form the at least one spiral bristle; the first strand component comprising a first plastic and a first oral care additive; and the second strand component comprising a second plastic and a second oral care additive, Tine rein the first oral care additive is different than the second oral care additive.

Abstract: An oral care implement (100) in one embodiment includes an elongated body (101) comprising a head portion (110) supporting plurality of tooth cleaning elements (111) and a handle portion (120) defining an outer surface (127). A grip control component (130) is disposed on the handle portion (120) and includes a pair of transversely spaced apart control surfaces (132) separated by a longitudinally extending channel (133). The control surfaces (132) are elevated above the outer surface (127) of the handle portion (120) and positioned to engage a user's thumb. The control component (130) is operable to tilt the head portion (110) at an upward or downward angle relative to a vertical plane of a user's teeth when the control component (130) is grasped between the user's thumb and forefinger for producing a proper brushing angle at the gum line.