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

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

Abstract: An oral care system includes an oral care implement and a smart device removably retained in a cavity of the oral care implement. The smart device may have a plurality of sensors for sensing conditions of the oral cavity and/or for sensing various parameters associated with the movement of the oral care implement within the oral cavity during use. The smart device may also include a transmitter for transmitting data/information obtained by the sensors to an electronic device, such as a smart phone.

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

Abstract: An oral care system includes an oral care implement and a smart device removably retained in a cavity of the oral care implement. The smart device may have a plurality of sensors for sensing conditions of the oral cavity and/or for sensing various parameters associated with the movement of the oral care implement within the oral cavity during use. The smart device may also include a transmitter for transmitting data/information obtained by the sensors to an electronic device, such as a smart phone.

Abstract: An oral care system includes an oral care implement and a smart device removably retained in a cavity of the oral care implement. The smart device may have a plurality of sensors for sensing conditions of the oral cavity and/or for sensing various parameters associated with the movement of the oral care implement within the oral cavity during use. The smart device may also include a transmitter for transmitting data/information obtained by the sensors to an electronic device, such as a smart phone.

Abstract: An oral care system includes an oral care implement and a smart device removably retained in a cavity of the oral care implement. The smart device may have a plurality of sensors for sensing conditions of the oral cavity and/or for sensing various parameters associated with the movement of the oral care implement within the oral cavity during use. The smart device may also include a transmitter for transmitting data/information obtained by the sensors to an electronic device, such as a smart phone.

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

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

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

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: 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.

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).