Abstract: Oral devices are provided, including oral brushes that include bristle tufts and a rotatable member having radially extending protrusions constructed to wedge between a user's teeth and, among other things, cause compression of the papilla.

Abstract: An oral device is provided that includes a handle, a head, extending from the handle and having a pair of elongated arms that include opposed surfaces; and a pair of opposed cleaning elements, mounted on the opposed surfaces, the cleaning elements being constructed and positioned to be inserting into the interproximal regions of a user's mouth when the oral is moved back and forth over the user's teeth. Each of the cleaning elements are positioned at an acute angle with respect to an interproximal line defined through the interproximal region.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing toothbrushes is provided that includes a molding unit for substantially simultaneously molding toothbrush bodies, an element that removes toothbrush bodies from the molding unit, a tufter for securing tufts of bristles to toothbrush bodies to form toothbrushes, and a transport for automatically moving toothbrush bodies from the removal element to the tufter. A process for forming toothbrushes is also disclosed.

Abstract: An oral brush is provided that includes an elongated body, a head portion extending from the body, and a plurality of bristles, formed of particular thermoplastic elastomers, extending from the body. In various embodiments, the thermoplastic elastomer has a Shore A hardness of at least 30; the thermoplastic elastomer is selected from the group consisting of polyetheramides, polyesters, styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene block copolymers, polyurethanes, polyolefin elastomers, and mixtures thereof; and the thermoplastic elastomer has a flexural modulus of at least 5 MPa.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided that includes a mold that includes a first cavity defining a toothbrush body, a first injection unit in fluid communication with the first cavity and a second cavity, and a second injection unit also in fluid communication with the first cavity. An apparatus is also provided that includes a mold that includes a first cavity defining a toothbrush body, a second cavity defining a toothbrush body, where the first cavity and the second cavity define substantially identical toothbrush bodies, a first injection unit in fluid communication with the first cavity and a second injection unit incapable of being in fluid communication with the second cavity.

Abstract: A toothbrush includes a head having bristle tufts implanted therein. At least two of the tufts cross so as to permit at least some the bristles to intermingle. One of the two tufts is located adjacent a long side of the head.

Abstract: A toothbrush includes a handle, a head extending from the handle, and a plurality of tooth cleaning elements, such as tufts of bristles, extending from the head. Each tooth cleaning element is supported for rotation about primarily only one axis. Each tooth cleaning element is rotatable independent of the other tooth cleaning element(s).

Abstract: Methods for monitoring toothbrush technique are provided, for example a method including, while a toothbrush user is brushing his teeth, acquiring data indicative of motion of the toothbrush along its longitudinal axis, and, providing information about the data for display. Devices and systems for monitoring toothbrushing technique are also provided.

Abstract: The invention is based on the discovery that flocked or textured materials (e.g., for use as dental floss, or toothbrush bristles) can be manufactured without using adhesives to secure the short fibers or texture particles to the base material, or substrate. The flocked or textured materials are formed by thermally or chemically softening a preformed substrate (e.g., sheets, fibers, or filaments made of TEFLON® fibers, KEVLAR® fibers, cotton, polyester, polyethylene, or other plastic), then treating the softened substrate with short fibers or texture particles. Alternatively, the short fibers or texture particles can be applied during the formation of the substrate (e.g., in an extrusion, melt-blowing, die casting, weaving, or drawing process).

Abstract: A gripper includes a) a first element that includes a plurality of male components; and b) a second element that includes a plurality of female components dimensioned to receive the male components. The first element and the second element are moveable from an open position to a closed position and the male components engage the female components when the elements are in a closed position. The individual male components and the individual female components are capable of maintaining a plurality of bristles in fixed relation to each other when the elements are in a closed position.

Abstract: An oral brush includes a) a body that includes a polymer composition that includes polypropylene and has a melt flow rate of at least about 10 g/10 min, and b) bristles extending from the body.

Abstract: Oral devices are provided, including oral brushes that include bristle tufts and a rotatable member having radially extending tips constructed to penetrate the interproximal and subgingival regions of the oral cavity.

Abstract: The composite brush mold includes a) a metallic component that includes a pattern of holes extending from a first surface of the metallic component to a second surface of the metallic component, the holes being configured to receive tufts that include at least one bristle, and b) a plastic component that includes a pattern of fingers that correspond to the pattern of holes, the fingers extending into the holes to form end walls.

Abstract: The composite brush mold includes a) a first component that includes a pattern of holes extending from a first surface of the first component to a second surface of the first component, the holes being configured to receive tufts that include at least one bristle, and b) a second component that includes a pattern of fingers that correspond to the pattern of holes, the fingers extending into the holes to form end walls.

Abstract: A toothbrush having a handle a head extending from the handle, and a plurality of tufts of bristles secured to the head. One of the tufts is secured to the head at a location such that no other tuft is secured to the head at a location which is more distal from the handle than the location where the one tuft is secured to the head. The one tuft is angled by about 81 degrees or less relative to an imaginary line which is tangent to or co-planar with a surface of the head through which the one tuft is secured to the head. The one tuft is tilted away from the handle towards a direction along which the head extends from the handle.

Abstract: A floss dispenser includes a housing that includes an exit, and a floss carrier disposed in the housing, where the floss carrier includes an arm extending across the exit, and a strand of dental floss on the floss carrier and extending through the exit.

Abstract: A toothbrush is provided that includes a body and a brush head extending from the body, the body including a handle having a distal end, and a resilient element mounted on the handle, a tapered distal tip of the resilient element extending beyond the distal end of the handle.

Abstract: A toothbrush includes a handle, a head extending from the handle, and a tuft of bristles extending from the head. The tuft is inclined such that the angle of inclination is an acute angle relative to a surface of the head through which the tuft extends. The bristles have free ends which define a plane, the plane being other than perpendicular to a direction in which the tuft extends from the head. The plane is inclined towards the same direction in which the tuft is inclined.