Abstract: This invention relates to oral care compositions comprising a basic amino acid or salt thereof, and a small particle fraction: and to methods of using and of making these compositions.

Abstract: This invention relates to oral care compositions comprising an effective amount of a basic amino acid in free or salt form, together with an anionic surfactant, and to methods of using and of making such compositions.

Abstract: This invention relates to oral care compositions comprising an effective amount of a salt of a basic amino acid the salt having a pH in an unbuffered solution of less than about 7.5; an effective amount of a soluble fluoride salt; and a particulate material which has a pH in an unbuffered solution of less than about 7.5; and to methods of using and of making such compositions.

Abstract: This invention relates to oral care compositions comprising an effective amount of a basic amino acid in free or salt form, together with an antibacterial agent, and to methods of using and of making such compositions.

Abstract: The invention relates to novel arginine salts, compositions comprising them, and their uses.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for educational spelling games wherein players are required to spell words of various levels of spelling difficulty and a player's degree of advancement depends on the difficulty level of the word. One version is a game board with a plurality of playing pieces, a plurality of spelling cards, each spelling card comprising a plurality of spelling words wherein different words on each of those spelling cards comprise different levels of spelling difficulty within at least one educational grade level or age level, preferably within two consecutive educational grade levels, and a die for randomly determining the level of spelling difficulty of the word which a player will be asked to spell. Preferably, there are at least three words of different levels of spelling difficulty on each spelling card. Also disclosed are electronic versions comprising an annunciator to announce the words, game show versions, computer game versions and internet-based versions.

Abstract: The invention includes methods of cleaning an oral surface, maintaining oral health and/or increasing oral health. Such methods encompass contacting an oral surface with a primary oral care composition at least once daily, contacting the oral surface with a periodic oral care maintenance composition at least once monthly, wherein the periodic oral care maintenance composition comprises a basic amino acid, in free or salt form and optionally contacting the oral surface with a periodic oral care cleaning composition at least once monthly. The periodic oral care cleaning compositions suitable for use in the method comprise an abrasive system.

Abstract: A microphone system has a base with at least one electrical port for electrically communicating with an external device. The system also has a solid metal lid coupled to the base to form an internal chamber, and a silicon microphone secured to the lid within the chamber. The lid has an aperture for receiving an audible signal, while the microphone is electrically connected to the electrical port of the base.

Abstract: An integrated circuit has a substrate with a back side and a front side. The front side has both a working area and a front side contact in electrical communication with the working area. In a similar manner, the back side has first and second back side contacts. A first conductive path extending through the substrate electrically connects the front side contact and the first back side contact. In addition, a second conductive path electrically connects the first back side contact with the second back side contact.

Abstract: A chewable confectionery dental composition delivering to the mouth a unit dose of a plaque reducing enzyme the composition comprising an enzyme and a non-cariogenic sweetener, the enzyme being incorporated in the composition at a temperature less than about 80° C.

Abstract: A two component dental composition is disclosed which eliminates or substantially reduces the discomfort and pain associated with dentinal hypersensitivity which composition comprises a first dentifrice component having a neutral pH in the range of about 6.5 to 7.5 buffered with a phosphate salt, a second dentifrice component having an alkaline pH in the range of 6.5 to 7.5 and at least one of the components containing a potassium ion releasable compound and a fluoride ion releasable salt, the first and second components being maintained separate from each other until dispensed and combined for application to teeth requiring relief from dentine hypersensitivity, whereby heightened desensitization is experienced by the user.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for learning call routing information in a communication system. A switching architecture is presented. The switch may be implemented in a centralized architecture or a distributed architecture. In addition, the switch may be implemented in a variety of networks such as a circuit-switched network or a packet-switched network. The switch includes a policy server and a self-learning application server. The policy server includes routing information for routing calls across the switch. The routes for incoming and outgoing calls are analyzed as they pass through the switch. The self-learning application server uses artificial intelligence techniques and caching algorithms to learn new more-efficient routing paths or initial routing paths based on the incoming and outgoing calls. The self-learning application server then updates the policy server with the new learned routes.

Abstract: A two component dental composition is disclosed which eliminates or substantially reduces the discomfort and pain associated with dentinal hypersensitivity which composition comprises a first dentifrice component having a neutral pH in the range of about 6.5 to 7.5 buffered with a phosphate salt, a second dentifrice component having an alkaline pH in the range of 6.5 to 7.5 and at least one of the components containing a potassium ion releasable compound and a fluoride ion releasable salt, the first and second components being maintained separate from each other until dispensed and combined for application to teeth requiring relief from dentine hypersensitivity, whereby heightened desensitization is experienced by the user.

Abstract: A dental composition which eliminates or substantially reduces the discomfort and pain associated with dentinal hypersensitivity and exhibits enhanced anticaries and remineralization benefits which composition contains a fluoride ion and a potassium ion releasable salt and has a pH in the range of about 8 to about 9.9, the pH being buffered with phosphate salt.

Abstract: A dual component dentifrice composition in which the first component is a stable, semi-solid, extrudable dentifrice composition containing a fluoride ion releasable compound in which calcium ion is absent and the second component is a semi-solid, extrudable dentifrice composition containing a dicalcium phosphate abrasive having a magnesium ion content less than about 0.5% by weight wherein increased fluoride uptake is achieved when the components are mixed upon application to dental tissue.