Abstract: An oral pharmabiotic system is disclosed for improving oral, dental, and systemic health by repopulating and reshaping the flora within a patient's oral environment in a manner that overcomes the deficiencies of prior oral probiotic products. By formulating the pharmabiotic system as a strip for adhesive placement within a patients' oral cavity, preferably against the buccal mucosa, alveolar mucosa, oral labial mucosa, or a dental appliance, and configuring the parameters of the strip such that neither disadhesion nor complete dissolution occurs for at least a period of at least three hours during daytime use and at least six hours during nighttime use, the probiotic payload contained within may remain in the oral cavity for a sufficient length of time required for the probiotics to activate, replicate, and displace existing harmful oral pathobiotics.

Abstract: An oral pharmabiotic system is disclosed for improving oral, dental, and systemic health by repopulating and reshaping the flora within a patient's oral environment in a manner that overcomes the deficiencies of prior oral probiotic products. By formulating the pharmabiotic system as a strip for adhesive placement within a patients' oral cavity, preferably against the buccal mucosa, alveolar mucosa, oral labial mucosa, or a dental appliance, and configuring the parameters of the strip such that neither disadhesion nor complete dissolution occurs for at least a period of at least three hours during daytime use and at least six hours during nighttime use, the probiotic payload contained within may remain in the oral cavity for a sufficient length of time required for the probiotics to activate, replicate, and displace existing harmful oral pathobiotics.

Abstract: An oral pharmabiotic system is disclosed for improving oral, dental, and systemic health by repopulating and reshaping the flora within a patient's oral environment in a manner that overcomes the deficiencies of prior oral probiotic products. By formulating the pharmabiotic system as a strip for adhesive placement within a patients' oral cavity, preferably against the buccal mucosa, alveolar mucosa, oral labial mucosa, or a dental appliance, and configuring the parameters of the strip such that neither disadhesion nor complete dissolution occurs for at least a period of at least three hours during daytime use and at least six hours during nighttime use, the probiotic payload contained within may remain in the oral cavity for a sufficient length of time required for the probiotics to activate, replicate, and displace existing harmful oral pathobiotics.

Abstract: An oral pharmabiotic system is disclosed for improving oral, dental, and systemic health by repopulating and reshaping the flora within a patient's oral environment in a manner that overcomes the deficiencies of prior oral probiotic products. By formulating the pharmabiotic system as a strip for adhesive placement within a patients' oral cavity, preferably against the buccal mucosa, alveolar mucosa, oral labial mucosa, or a dental appliance, and configuring the parameters of the strip such that neither disadhesion nor complete dissolution occurs for at least a period of at least three hours during daytime use and at least six hours during nighttime use, the probiotic payload contained within may remain in the oral cavity for a sufficient length of time required for the probiotics to activate, replicate, and displace existing harmful oral pathobiotics.

Abstract: Provided is a more effective dental synbiotic lozenge that is intra-orally adhesive. The lozenge contains adhesive prebiotics and excipients, and one or more species of probiotic organisms. While safely adhered to an intra-oral surface, the lozenge dissolves to provide a controlled time-release of the excipients, prebiotics, and probiotic organisms over a period of hours instead of minutes. The lozenge dissolves into a malleable biofilm that includes a natural biofilm formed by the prebiotics and a supplemental biofilm formed by the excipients. The lozenge can be used while sleeping, which can increase probiotic availability exponentially. The result is a lozenge that allows for a smaller, but more diverse, microbial payload that can grow over time such that a fewer number of organisms are needed from the start. In one embodiment, the lozenge contains adhesive prebiotics acacia and inulin, along with additional excipients microcrystalline cellulose, HPMC K15, and sodium alginate.

Abstract: All embodiments of the present invention relate to a toothbrush to prevent tooth abrasion and gum damage during use. A first embodiment of the invention includes a handle including an open cavity and a neck interconnected to the handle by a pivot. The neck is movable between an aligned first position and a second angled position relative to the handle. A leaf spring is bonded to the end of the neck at a first end, and the second end of the leaf spring engages the handle to provide biasing resistance. The leaf spring is configured such that if pressure to the neck exceeds a threshold limit, there is movement of the neck portion from the first position to a second position. The threshold limit is the pressure just below the pressure at the brush that may cause damage to the hard and soft tissue of the mouth. A protective sheath envelops the junction between the handle member and the neck member to prevent accumulation of unwanted material within the cavity of the handle.

Abstract: A multiple flashpoint vaporization system rapidly sterilizes large enclosures. A plurality of vaporizers (10) inject hydrogen peroxide vapor into streams of carrier gas supplied by a generator (20). Supply lines (30) transport the mixture of carrier gas and hydrogen peroxide vapor to a plurality of regions of an enclosure (32). Monitors (52) monitor hydrogen peroxide vapor concentration or other conditions in each region of the enclosure. A control system (50) adjusts the hydrogen peroxide vapor supply rate in response to the corresponding monitored conditions.

Abstract: Hot, saturated water vapor in the form of low-temperature subatmospheric steam is employed to shorten the aeration period after sterilization with a condensable, heat-labile chemical sterilant. The application of steam accelerates the rate of outgassing of sterilant residuals that are absorbed into, or adsorbed or condensed onto chamber or load materials. The method is particularly suitable for removing residuals from polymeric materials and/or materials that are poor heat conductors. Apparatus is provided to supply steam in situations where a utility steam supply is not available.

Abstract: An interface for connecting a station using a time division multiplex format to a time division multi-access system comprising (a) a first channel for converting time division multiplexed signals (112) into bursts (119), (b) a duplex channel for re-constituting bursts (117) into time division multiplex frames (111) and (c) TDMA circuitry for controlling (a) and (b) to operate in conformity with the TDMA. The first channel is preferably adapted to remove unused slots from the multiplex and to collect the used slots over several frames into a single burst. The duplex channel restores the frame format by replacing slots removed by the transmitter.