ORAL HYGIENE DEVICE & METHODS OF USE THEREOF
Oral hygiene devices and methods of use thereof are herein disclosed. In one embodiment, an oral hygiene device is a toothbrush, floss and a flossing aid combination. A plurality of toothbrush bristles is located at a proximal end of the device while floss and the flossing aid are located at a distal end of the device. The device includes a handle wherein a distal portion of the handle accommodates a plurality of floss spools. A shearing blade proximate to at least one floss spool for shearing a piece of floss from the floss spool may also be included at the distal portion. The distal portion of the handle may also include a flossing aid which may hold a piece of floss and may be used independent of use with hands of an individual.
Oral hygiene devices.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTIONOral hygiene is a measurement of the cleanliness of a person's teeth, gums and oral cavity. Good oral hygiene mitigates dental plaque and tartar build-up which can cause, among other things, cavities, gingivitis, premature tooth decay and/or gum disease. Good oral hygiene includes regular tooth brushing, flossing, and use of mouthwash in addition to regular visits to a dentist for professional cleaning and general oral care.
Between cleanings by a dentist or a dental hygienist, good oral hygiene is essential for preventing tartar build-up which causes the problems mentioned above. This is done by carefully and frequently brushing with a toothbrush and the use of dental floss to prevent accumulation of plaque on the teeth.
While regular tooth brushing is known to mitigate tartar build-up, tooth brushing alone is not very effective at removing tartar from between individual teeth. In this regard, flossing is essential to clean these hard to reach areas, i.e., between individual teeth. Despite this known cleaning method, many individuals do not use floss on a regular basis. A common excuse is that using floss is not convenient. For example, while toothpaste and toothbrushes are generally stored in the open around a sink area, i.e., in a toothbrush/toothpaste holder, floss is generally stored in a bathroom cupboard or otherwise out of sight. Some individuals may simply forget to floss and other individuals may be too lazy to initiate the step of obtaining the floss and using it. In some cases, individuals object to using floss due to the conventional way in which it is used, i.e., tautly wrapping a piece of floss around two index fingers and manipulating the floss within the teeth. Many individuals find this method inconvenient, unpleasant and/or unsanitary.
SUMMARY OF INVENTIONAn oral hygiene device, including: (i) a body having a proximal portion, a distal portion, a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end adapted to accommodate a piece of floss between at least two prongs, the proximal end having a plurality of bristles thereon; (ii) at least one aperture within the distal portion of the body wherein the aperture includes a mandrel adapted to accommodate a spool of floss; (iii) a channel running from the aperture to an opening on the body, the channel adapted to accommodate floss from the spool of floss to the opening; and (iii) at least one shearing blade positioned on the distal end of the body is herein disclosed.
In one embodiment, the oral hygiene device includes two apertures. The oral hygiene device may further include a removable first cap to cover the two apertures and the channel, the removable first cap having two protrusions on an inner surface thereon wherein the two protrusions are sized to press- or friction-fit within the two apertures. The oral hygiene device may further include a removable second cap to cover the distal end of the body.
In one embodiment, the distal end is adapted to receive a removable flossing aid, the flossing aid having at least two prongs. In another embodiment, the distal end includes a flossing aid having at least two prongs integral thereto. In this embodiment, a removable first cap may cover the at least one aperture may be included, the removable first cap having a flange and sized to press- or friction-fit within the at least one aperture. Each of the two prongs may include a groove to accommodate a piece of floss tautly across thereof. The oral hygiene device may further include a gum scrubber opposite to the plurality of bristles. The gum scrubber may be a plurality of raised striations.
An oral hygiene device, including: (i) means for allowing a user to grip an oral hygiene device; (ii) means for accommodating a plurality of floss spools within the means for allowing the user to grip the oral hygiene device; (iii) means for allowing floss from the plurality of floss spools to run from the means for accommodating the plurality of floss spools to an outside of the means for allowing the user to grip the oral hygiene device; and (iv) means for allowing the user to floss teeth of the user by gripping the means for allowing the user to grip the oral hygiene device only is herein disclosed.
The means for allowing the user to grip the oral hygiene device may be a toothbrush handle. The means for accommodating the plurality of floss spools may be a plurality of apertures. The means for allowing floss from the plurality of floss spools to run from the plurality of apertures to the outside of toothbrush handle may be a channel. The means for allowing the user to floss teeth of the user by gripping the toothbrush handle only may a flossing aid.
In one embodiment, the flossing aid is integral with the toothbrush body and located at a distal end thereof. In another embodiment, the flossing aid is removable relative to the toothbrush body and adapted to friction- or press-fit into a groove at the distal end thereof. The oral hygiene device may further include: (i) means to clean teeth of the user; and (ii) means to clean gums of the user. The means to clean teeth of the user may be a plurality of bristles and the means to clean gums of the user may be a gum scrubber. The plurality of bristles may be located at a proximal end of the means for allowing a user to grip an oral hygiene device and the gum scrubber may be located opposite the plurality of bristles.
The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention.
Embodiments of the invention are directed to oral hygiene devices and methods of use thereof. In one embodiment, an oral hygiene device is a toothbrush, floss and a flossing aid combination. A plurality of toothbrush bristles is located at a proximal end of the device while floss and the flossing aid are located at a distal end of the device. The device includes a handle wherein a distal portion of the handle accommodates a plurality of floss spools. A shearing blade proximate to at least one floss spool for shearing a piece of floss from the floss spool may also be included at the distal portion. The distal portion of the handle may also include a flossing aid which may hold a piece of floss and may be used independent of use with hands of an individual.
In one embodiment, a flossing aid 120 having at least two prongs 122 is positioned at the distal end 110 of oral hygiene device 100. In another embodiment, the flossing aid 120 is integral with the distal end 110 of oral hygiene device 100 (see
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In one embodiment, a flossing aid 620 having at least two prongs 622 is integral with the distal end 610 of oral hygiene device 600. Flossing aid 620 may have an approximate V-shaped or C-shaped configuration; however, other appropriate geometric configurations are within the scope of the invention. In any case, the two prongs 622 should be sufficiently spaced apart such that a piece of floss may be easily threaded across and also comfortably fit within an oral cavity of a user. In some embodiments, the two prongs 622 are spaced apart between about one (1) cm and about four (4) cm, preferably about three (3) cm.
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The oral hygiene devices according to embodiments of the invention provide a convenient and practical method of homecare oral hygiene. In one respect, both the features of a conventional toothbrush and features of dental floss are available within one oral hygiene device. Also, the device offers the user a choice of using floss typically used in conjunction with a shearing blade (as described previously) or using a flossing aid (as described previously). Additionally, for travel purposes, the oral hygiene device according to embodiments of the invention offers the user the convenience of only having to pack one oral hygiene item rather than two different items.
While certain exemplary embodiments have been described and shown in the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that such embodiments are merely illustrative of and not restrictive on the broad invention, and that this invention is not be limited to the specific constructions and arrangements shown and described, since various other modifications may occur to those ordinarily skilled in the art.
Claims
1. An oral hygiene device, comprising:
- a body having a proximal portion, a distal portion, a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end adapted to accommodate a piece of floss between at least two prongs, the proximal end having a plurality of bristles thereon;
- at least one aperture within the distal portion of the body wherein the aperture includes a mandrel adapted to accommodate a spool of floss;
- a channel running from the aperture to an opening on the body, the channel adapted to accommodate floss from the spool of floss to the opening; and
- at least one shearing blade positioned on the distal end of the body.
2. The oral hygiene device of claim 1 wherein there are two apertures.
3. The oral hygiene device of claim 2, further comprising, a removable first cap to cover the two apertures and the channel, the removable first cap having two protrusions on an inner surface thereon wherein the two protrusions are sized to press- or friction-fit within the two apertures.
4. The oral hygiene device of claim 3, further comprising, a removable second cap to cover the distal end of the body.
5. The oral hygiene device of claim 1 wherein the distal end is adapted to receive a removable flossing aid, the flossing aid having at least two prongs.
6. The oral hygiene device of claim 1 wherein the distal end comprises a flossing aid having at least two prongs integral thereto.
7. The oral hygiene device of claim 1, further comprising, a removable first cap to cover the at least one aperture, the removable first cap having a flange and sized to press- or friction-fit within the at least one aperture.
8. The oral hygiene device of claim 1 wherein each of the two prongs includes a groove to accommodate a piece of floss tautly across thereof.
9. The oral hygiene device of claim 1, further comprising, a gum scrubber opposite to the plurality of bristles.
10. The oral hygiene device of claim 9 wherein the gum scrubber comprises a plurality of raised striations.
11. An oral hygiene device, comprising:
- means for allowing a user to grip an oral hygiene device;
- means for accommodating a plurality of floss spools within the means for allowing the user to grip the oral hygiene device;
- means for allowing floss from the plurality of floss spools to run from the means for accommodating the plurality of floss spools to an outside of the means for allowing the user to grip the oral hygiene device; and
- means for allowing the user to floss teeth of the user by gripping the means for allowing the user to grip the oral hygiene device only.
12. The oral hygiene device of claim 11 wherein the means for allowing the user to grip the oral hygiene device is a toothbrush handle.
13. The oral hygiene device of claim 12 wherein the means for accommodating the plurality of floss spools is a plurality of apertures.
14. The oral hygiene device of claim 13 wherein the means for allowing floss from the plurality of floss spools to run from the plurality of apertures to the outside of toothbrush handle is a channel.
15. The oral hygiene device of claim 14 wherein the means for allowing the user to floss teeth of the user by gripping the toothbrush handle only is a flossing aid.
16. The oral hygiene device of claim 15 wherein the flossing aid is integral with the toothbrush body and located at a distal end thereof.
17. The oral hygiene device of claim 15 wherein the flossing aid is removable relative to the toothbrush body and adapted to friction- or press-fit into a groove at the distal end thereof.
18. The oral hygiene device of claim 11, further comprising:
- means to clean teeth of the user; and
- means to clean gums of the user.
19. The oral hygiene device of claim 18 wherein the means to clean teeth of the user is a plurality of bristles and the means to clean gums of the user is a gum scrubber.
20. The oral hygiene device of claim 19 wherein the plurality of bristles is located at a proximal end of the means for allowing a user to grip an oral hygiene device and the gum scrubber is located opposite the plurality of bristles.
Type: Application
Filed: Jan 26, 2009
Publication Date: Jul 29, 2010
Inventors: Angela A. Avila (Riverside, CA), Sergio Hernandez (Riverside, CA)
Application Number: 12/360,037
International Classification: A45D 40/18 (20060101); A46B 9/04 (20060101);