Individual-patient one-day oral care kit

An individual-patient one-day oral care kit comprises a housing and a plurality of sealed trays disposed within the housing. Each of the sealed trays contains oral hygiene components. By one approach at least one of the sealed trays contains an oral hygiene component comprising a toothbrush that is unique to that particular tray. By one approach all of the sealed trays contain at least one same oral hygiene component. By one approach each of the sealed trays is configured to serve a patient's oral hygiene compliance requirements in accordance with an event driven schedule during a single day.

TECHNICAL FIELD

These teachings relate generally to oral care and more particularly to the administration of oral care in an institutional care setting.

BACKGROUND

Patients are only occasionally admitted to an institutional care setting as a primary result of improper oral care. Unfortunately, however, it is relatively common for patients in an institutional care setting to develop a disease such as non-ventilator hospital-acquired pneumonia due to a lack of proper oral care while within the institution. Studies have shown that within 48 hours of admission patients can experience changes in oral bacteria including the proliferation of the virulent gram-negative organisms that can be micro-aspirated. Such diseases can greatly extend the patient's stay at the institution, can greatly increase the cost of their stay, and can significantly increase mortality rates as well.

The basics of proper oral care, of course, are well known. The applicant has determined, however, that timely compliance with a proper oral care regimen can be difficult to achieve in the busy and sometimes confusing environment of an institutional care facility. In particular, it can be difficult to encourage compliance and also difficult to measure compliance.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Generally speaking, pursuant to these various embodiments an individual-patient one-day oral care kit comprises a housing and a plurality of sealed trays disposed within the housing. Each of the sealed trays contains oral hygiene components. By one approach at least one of the sealed trays contains an oral hygiene component comprising a toothbrush that is unique to that particular tray. By one approach all of the sealed trays contain at least one same oral hygiene component. By one approach each of the sealed trays is configured to serve a patient's oral hygiene compliance requirements in accordance with an event driven schedule during a single day.

By one approach the aforementioned housing is wholly comprised of flexible material and may comprise, for example, a plastic bag. By one approach the plastic bag has a bottom that includes gases formed therein such that the plastic bag is self-supporting in a vertical orientation when resting upon a flat surface.

For ease of access, by one approach the plastic bag has at least one horizontal terror line formed there in at the top of the plastic bag such that a user opens the plastic bag by hand tearing the plastic bag beginning at horizontal terror line. If desired the plastic bag further includes a zip lock feature formed therein at the top of the plastic bag between the bottom of the plastic bag and the at least one horizontal terror line. So configured, the plastic bag can be reclosed after opening the plastic bag via the horizontal terror line.

By one approach a front side of the plastic bag comprises a transparent window through which a substantial part of the contents are readily viewed. If desired, the housing further includes instructions disposed thereon for using the oral hygiene components contained therein per a compliance regimen.

The aforementioned event driven schedule can comprise for daily events. By one approach these for the events constitute breakfast, lunch, dinner, and pre-bedtime preparation.

The specific contents of the individual-patient one-day oral care kit can vary with particular needs as desired. By one approach, for example, the individual-patient one-day oral care kit is configured as a self-care kit. By another approach, the individual-patient one-day oral care kit is configured as an assistant-care kit. As yet they another example in these regards, the individual-patient one-day oral care kit can be configured as a denture-care kit.

By one approach the kid further includes a compliance-tracking card disposed therein. The compliance-tracking card and include a user-ascertainable reference to each of the trigger events corresponding to the compliance regimen and further provide a user interface (such as an unchecked checkbox) by which a user can indicate usage of the oral hygiene components that correspond to a particular one of the four events to thereby form a daily compliance record.

So configured, such an individual-patient one-day oral care kit is well suited for use in an institutional-care setting such as a hospital, nursing home, or the like. So configured, oral care regimen compliance is both readily accomplished and assured over the course of a day even as caregiver staff changes over time.

These and other benefits may become clearer upon making a thorough review and study of the following detailed description.

FIGS. 1 and 2present the front and back side of an illustrative example of an individual-patient one-day oral care kit100. The reference to “individual patient” will be understood to mean that the kit and its contents are intended and distributed for use by a single person only. The reference to “one day” will be understood to mean a single calendar day that begins in the morning and concludes that same evening.

This kit100is wholly self-contained within a corresponding housing101. In this example the housing101is wholly comprised of flexible material such as a pliable plastic and can comprise, as illustrated, a plastic bag. In this illustrative example the bottom102of the housing101includes gussets formed therein such that the plastic bag is self-supporting in a vertical orientation when resting upon a flat surface such as a tabletop, countertop, or the like.

The top side103of the housing101has at least one horizontal tear line formed therein comprising a notch104formed at the edge of the housing101(in this case, the word “horizontal” referring to an orientation that is parallel to the bottom of the housing101). So configured, a user can conveniently open the plastic bag by tearing the plastic bag beginning at this horizontal tear line. The width and depth of this notch104can be varied as appropriate to suit the relative strength of the plastic that comprises the housing101and/or the anticipated gripping strength of the user. In many application settings it will not be necessary for the entire top edge of the housing101to be fully removed in order to provide convenient and adequate access to the contents thereof. If desired, this tear line can further include scoring and/or perforations in the plastic material to further assist and guide such tearing.

FIGS. 1 and 2also illustrate that the top103of the housing101can further include a zip lock feature105formed therein between the bottom102of the plastic bag and the horizontal tear line such that the plastic bag can be reclosed after opening the plastic bag via the horizontal tear line. These figures further illustrate that the top103of the housing101can include a hole106formed therethrough to facilitate hanging the housing101from a hook (not shown) if desired.

By one approach, and as shown inFIG. 1, the housing101can have a window107formed on one side thereof such as the front side. Such a window107can comprise a clear (or relatively clearer) part of the plastic material that comprises the housing101. Properly located and sized, such a window107can permit the caregiver and/or the user to readily view the contents of the housing101to thereby quickly ascertain, for example, whether administration of the kit contents are generally up-to-date without needing to open the housing101.

If desired, the housing101can include indicium108formed thereon to identify a particular type of oral care kit. As an illustrative example, inFIG. 1this indicium108identifies the oral care kit as being a self-care oral care kit. Also if desired, and as shown inFIG. 2, the housing101can include informational content201formed thereon (in this case, on the back side of the housing101). This informational content201can include instructions regarding proper use of the kit and its contents, usage cautions, regimen specifics and requirements, ingredients, and so forth as desired.

As shown inFIG. 1, the housing101has a plurality of sealed trays109disposed therein. In this particular example there is one sealed tray109for each of a plurality of event driven schedule triggers that comprise the daily compliance regimen served by the kit100. In this illustrative example the four events that comprise the event driven schedule are breakfast, lunch, dinner, and pre-bedtime preparation.

Referring toFIGS. 3 and 4, by one approach each of the sealed trays109can be identical or essentially identical to one another (though the contents of each may be as similar or as different as may be appropriate to the application setting). In this example each of the sealed trays has a body301formed of plastic (for example, via a blow molding process). In this example each tray body301has two separated compartments. A first compartment302serves to contain oral hygiene components while the second compartment303can serve as a well or cup for holding an oral hygiene liquid during use as described herein. (In this particular example the liquid-holding compartment303is empty until the user places a liquid within the compartment303during use.) The relative sizes and shapes of these two compartments302and303can be selected as desired to suit the needs of a given application setting. In this illustrative example the component-holding compartment302is considerably larger than the liquid-holding compartment303.

If desired, and as shown inFIG. 3, the tray body301can include corrugations304formed along one or more edge thereof to provide strength to the tray body301edge.

As shown inFIG. 4the sealed tray109can further include a removable cover401. This cover401can be comprised of paper, plastic film, foil, or the like as desired and can be secured to the tray body301using, for example, an appropriate adhesive, heat sealing technique, or the like. This cover401serves to preserve the cleanliness of the liquid-receiving compartment303and to retain oral hygiene components within the first compartment302pending use.

If desired, this cover401can have instructions or other informational content disposed thereon to explain use of the oral hygiene components contained within the sealed tray109per a particular compliance regimen that corresponds to the kit100. These instructions may be partially or wholly similar/redundant from one sealed tray109to the next in a given kit100as appropriate. These instructions may also be partially or wholly similar/redundant to any instructions that are provided on the housing101as described above and as desired.

As noted above, each of the sealed trays109can correspond to a particular event per an event driven schedule trigger-based usage of the kit100. In that case, one or more of the sealed trays109can each include event indicium disposed thereon/therein to identify a corresponding event driven schedule trigger. For example, one of the sealed trays109can be labeled as corresponding to the “breakfast” trigger, another of the sealed trays109can be labeled as corresponding to the “lunch” trigger, yet another of the sealed trays109can be labeled as corresponding to the “dinner” trigger, and yet another of the sealed trays109can be labeled as corresponding to the “pre-bedtime preparation” trigger. By one approach this event indicium can be placed on a paper or cardboard insert that is placed inside the oral hygiene component compartment302.

By one approach the various sealed trays109as corresponds to a particular kit100are placed within the housing101in an intended order of use as per the compliance regimen. For example, when viewed from the front, the leftmost sealed tray109can correspond to the breakfast trigger, with the lunch trigger tray, the dinner trigger tray, and the pre-bedtime preparation trigger tray being disposed in order of intended use to the right.

As mentioned above, the kit100shown inFIGS. 1 and 2comprises a self-care oral care kit. Accordingly, this kit is intended for use with a patient in an institutional-care setting who is capable of administering their own oral care. A caregiver can place the kit100in an appropriate place where the patient can see and use the kit100during the course of the day. The patient's use of the kit100can be readily monitored by noting the contents of the kit100at any given time and also by noting the used or unused state of each of the sealed trays109.

Continuing with this particular example of a self-care care kit, the “breakfast” sealed tray109can include, as shown atFIG. 5, a toothbrush501(such as a so-called super soft toothbrush), a toothbrush cover502to protect the toothbrush bristles in between uses, an oral swab503(such as a Dentips oral swab), a small tube of toothpaste504(such as a plaque-removing toothpaste), an oral rinse packet505(such as an alcohol-free oral rinse), and a packet of mouth moisturizer506(to be administered via the aforementioned oral swab, for example). The aforementioned liquids can, in turn, be directly deposited in the patient's mouth or placed into the liquids container302to facilitate use as appropriate. So configured, the patient has what they need to properly attend to their oral hygiene following breakfast.

The aforementioned toothbrush501, toothbrush cover502, and toothpaste504can be retained for subsequent use that same day while the remaining oral hygiene components can be disposed of following use. Also, if desired and in the alternative to the foregoing, the reusable items (i.e., in this example, the toothbrush501, the toothbrush cover502, and the toothpaste504) may be provided in a separate “open first” tray109or can be placed loosely in the housing101for ready use in conjunction with the contents of the remaining trays109.

The remaining three sealed trays109for the self-care oral care kit can be as shown inFIG. 6. Accordingly, the sealed tray for each of the lunch, dinner, and pre-bedtime preparation events can include an oral swab503, an oral rinse packet505, and a packet of mouth moisturizer506. So configured, each of the sealed trays109(some in combination with reusable components from the initial tray) is configured to serve a patient's oral hygiene compliance requirements per a corresponding event driven schedule during a single day.

As noted above these teachings will accommodate configuring the kit100as an assisted-care oral care kit. Such a kit can be used with a patient who needs at least some help with their oral hygiene. In this case, in addition to four event-based sealed trays109, the kit100also includes a Yankauer701disposed within the housing101. A Yankauer (shown in more detail inFIG. 8) comprises an oral suctioning tool used in medical procedures. It is typically a firm plastic suction tip with a large opening surrounded by a bulbous head and is designed to allow effective suction without damaging surrounding tissue.

The first-used sealed tray109(in this case corresponding to the breakfast event) includes an oral swab503, an oral rinse packet505, and a packet of mouth moisturizer506as described above. In addition, in this assisted-care oral care kit the first sealed tray109also includes a suction toothbrush901. This suction toothbrush901is configured to be compatibly coupled to the Yankauer701and used in combination with suction while attending to the patient's oral hygiene. The remaining sealed trays109of the assisted care oral care kit can be as described above with respect toFIG. 6(where reuse that day of the suction toothbrush901and Yankauer701is anticipated).

These teachings will also accommodate configuring such a kit100to serve as a denture care oral care kit.FIG. 10presents an illustrative example in these regards. In such a case the first-used sealed tray109(such as the breakfast event tray) can include a toothbrush and cover as described above along with an oral rinse and an oral swab. The remaining sealed trays109can each include a packet of oral rinse and an oral swab. In addition to the sealed trays109, the denture care oral care kit can include a denture cup1001configured and sized to receive the patient's dentures therein, a denture cleaner, and a denture adhesive1002.

By one approach, and as shown inFIG. 11, such kits can further include a compliance-tracking card1100that is disposed, for example, within the housing101. This card1100can be comprised of any suitable material including paper, plastic, plastic-laminated paperboard, and so forth as desired. A first area1101of the card1100can provide simple instructions (expressed via text, images, or both as desired) regarding the use of the various components contained in the kit.

A second area1102of the card1100can include user-ascertainable references1103to each of the aforementioned four events. In this example these references1103comprise the words “After Breakfast,” “After Lunch,” “After Dinner,” and “Before Bedtime.” Adjacent each of these references1103is a user interface (in this example, unchecked checkboxes1104) by which the user (i.e., the patient for a self-care kit or the caregiver for assisted-care kits) can indicate usage of the oral hygiene components that correspond to the appropriate one of the four events. (If desired, the kit can include a small pen or pencil to be used to check these checkboxes.) So configured, the card1100forms a simple, efficient, and reliable daily compliance record regarding the patient's oral hygiene.

In this example the text on the card1100employs English. Other languages can of course be accommodated. These teachings will also accommodate duplicating the contents of this side of the card1100on the backside of the card, albeit as translated into another language (such as Spanish or French) to accommodate multi-language application settings and/or international use. These teachings will also accommodate presenting the text using an alternative modality such as brail.

The above-described patient-centered kits can readily accommodate different patients having different care requirements. Such kits can also assure that premium and appropriate oral care components are being used to help ensure infection prevention and patient comfort in an institutional care application setting. These kits will readily accommodate including instructions and other informational content to help ensure patient education and/or proper usage and compliance. The compliance recordation approaches disclosed herein can provide an important mechanism for documenting oral hygiene compliance. And those skilled in the art will appreciate the great convenience represented by the described approaches.

Those skilled in the art will recognize that a wide variety of modifications, alterations, and combinations can be made with respect to the above described embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, individual kits can be sized and configured to suit adults or children separately (such that child-appropriate kits provide a smaller-sized toothbrush, for example). Accordingly, such modifications, alterations, and combinations are to be viewed as being within the ambit of the inventive concept.