Abstract: A toothbrush to automatically guide the user to simultaneously clean a tooth surface, the cusps, and the gingival sulcus at approximately 45 degrees. The bristle elements are arranged generally in two banks with the free ends of the bristle elements in the first bank extending convergingly with the free ends of the bristle elements in the second bank to provide a V-shaped tooth receiving channel having an acute included angle of from about 10 to 55 degrees. The bristle elements in the respective banks which are closest together, which is at about the apex of the V-shaped tooth receiving channel, extend into contact with one another at the bristle tips to define therebetween a doublet of mutually supported bristle elements. This doublet provides a stiff cleaning element for the nooks and crannies of the cusps of the teeth.

Abstract: 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.