DEVICE FOR CLEANING TEETH AND MASSAGING GUMS

Abstract: A spool shaped device (1) and a method for simultaneously cleaning the teeth, cheeks, lips and tongue and massaging the gums. The spool-shaped device (1) has a tubular central body portion (13). A first flange portion (5) is attached to an end of the central body portion (13) and a second flange portion (7) is attached to an another end of the central body portion (13). The first flange portion (5) preferably has a convex outer surface (29) and a concave inner surface (25). The second flange portion (7) preferably has a convex inner surface (27) and a concave outer surface (31). The device (1) is placed between the teeth and, when pressure is applied, the central body portion (13) collapses and the inner surface (25) of the first flange portion (5) and the inner surface (27) of the second flange portion (7) make contact with the surfaces of the teeth and gums to provide cleaning and massaging action. The device (1) preferably includes projections (11) and cavities (9) on the inner surfaces (25, 27) of the flange portions (5, 7) to provide additional cleaning action.

Description: -I- DEVICE FOR CLEANING TEETH AND MASSAGING GUMS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates generally to a device which can be placed between the teeth and manipulated by chewing action to simultaneously clean teeth, cheeks, lips and the tongue and massage the gums. Although great ' strides have been made in other areas of health and hygiene, the field of dentistry still relies upon the use of the toothbrush as the principle means for oral hygiene and general tooth care. Although proper use of a toothbrush, combined with the use of dental floss and periodic visits to a dentist, can be an effective means of preventing cavities, pyorrhea and other periodontal disease, it is clear that a large portion of the general population fails to practice satisfactory oral hygiene. A large part of the failure can be attributed to the fact that a toothbrush is not an effective means of cleaning teeth for a large portion of the population. Certain of the posterior and inside areas of the teeth and gums simply are not readily accessible with a toothbrush. The spreading of dentifrice, unless combined with thorough scrubbing action, does not remove all the plaque from the surfaces of the teeth and from the gums. Studies have shown that the insufficient duration of use and incorrect brushing action with the toothbrush are t.he reasons that the desired cleaning and gum massaging is not attained for the majority of all people. Thus, there is a need for another device to thoroughly clean the teeth and massage the gums. Applicants are aware that other devices have * been shown which purport to overcome some of the disadvantages of the toothbrush. For example, in U.S. Patent No. 1,691,785, of Remensnyder, a device is " disclosed which massages gums. In U.S. Patent No. 3,874,084, of Cole, a device is disclosed for cleaning and massaging teeth. Both devices are molded to fit the patient's teeth and gum tissue, and therefore cannot be mass-produced in order to become available to the general public. Furthermore, a striking disadvantage of the disclosed devices is that since they are molded to cover all or a large portion of the chewing surfaces the pressure asserted on them is distributed, unevenly on the various surfaces of the teeth and gums. In addition, the design of the devices discourages extended use necessary for effective cleaning and massaging, since the devices are uncomfortable and occupy the entire mouth. U.S. Patent No. 2,172,998, of Grout, discloses a device which overcomes some of these disadvantages. Grout provides a resilient spool or reel -shaped device having a solid cylindrical center portion with two essentially identical enlarged end flange portions. Although Grout discloses a device which can be mass-produced and which distributes the chewing pressure over a smaller area of the teeth and gums, it is primarily a gum massaging device. The peripheral edges of the device principally contact the gums and have little contact with the surfaces of the teeth. Any incidental contact with the teeth would be ineffective to provide any significant cleansing action. Furthermore, the device is not shaped to efficiently transmit tooth pressure into side pressure of the cleaning surfaces. The fact that the prior art devices do not provide effective means for cleaning the teeth and massaging the gums is the most likely factor responsible for the apparent lack of commercial success of any of the devices. Thus, there continues to be a need for a device to provide effective personal oral hygiene. Summary of the Invention The device of Applicants' invention is a spool-shaped member formed as a single piece of a resilient, non- toxic material. The spool-shaped member has a central body portion which includes a central void. The spool-shaped member further includes first and second dish-shaped flange portions at opposite ends of the central body portion and extending radially outward from the central body portion. The central void of the central portion facilitates the collapse of the central body portion when pressure is applied by the teeth of the user. The collapse of the central body portion induces a closure of the first and second flanges against the teeth and gums of the user. Preferably, the first flange portion has a concave surface facing the central body portion so that the surface generally conforms to the labial surfaces of a user's teeth. Also preferably, the second flange portion has a convex surface facing the central body portion so that the surface generally conforms to the lingual surfaces of a user's teeth. The use of the concave and convex inner surfaces of the first and second flange portions are particularly advantageous in that they ' increase the area of surface contact between the flanges and the teeth and gums, therefore enhancing the cleaning and massaging action. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the surfaces of the first and second flange portions facing the central body portion have plurality of . circumferentially spaced projections positioned to contact the surfaces of the teeth and the areas between the teeth. In a particularly preferred embodiment-, the circumferentially spaced projections are tho.rn-shaped . The shapes and the positions of the projections are particularly advantageous in dislodging food material from the areas between the teeth and pulling the material ' away from the gum line. In alternative embodiments of the invention, the projections on the inner surfaces of the flange portions are bristles. Alternatively, the projections can be wipers. In preferred embodiments of the invention, the inner surfaces of the first and second flange portions have a plurality of circumferentially spaced cavities. The cavities can be indentations or can penetrate through the flange portions. The edges of the cavities contact the surfaces of the teeth upon closure of the flanges to provide a scraping ' action on the teeth to remove plaque and other substances deposited thereon. In preferred embodiments of the device, the outer surface of the central body portion can have a plurality of raised portions positioned to contact the occlusal surfaces of the teeth to provide additional cleaning action. In a preferred embodiment, the device of the present invention can also advantageously have textured surfaces on the first and second flange portions. In one preferred embodiment, the device of the present invention can be advantageously constructed from a medical grade silicon rubber. In another preferred embodiment the device is constructed from latex rubber. In a particularly preferred embodiment,, the surfa ' ce . of the first flange portion facing away from the central body portion is convex to conform with the inner surfaces of the lips and cheeks, and the surface of the second flange portion facing away from the central body . portion is concave to allow the tongue to move more freely on the device and to provide additional comfort to the user. Preferably, the first flange portion has a larger outside diameter than the second flange portion in the device of the present invention. Thus, the second flange portion conforms more readily with the smaller inside dimensions of the teeth and reduces the interf-erence with the teeth ridge which forms the lingual portion of the upper arch. In especially preferred embodiments of the device of the present invention, the first and second dish-shaped flange portions are radially tapered from the root to the tip to increase the flexibility of the flanges. Applicants ' invention also includes a method of cleaning teeth and massaging gums which includes the steps of placing a spool-shaped member, having an axially-bored central body portion with attached dish-shaped first and second flange portions, between the upper and lower teeth. The spool-shaped member is positioned with the teeth on opposite sides of the central body portion. The user exerts pressure on the central body portion to collapse the central body portion thereby moving a concave inner surface of the first flange portion and a convex inner surface of a second flange portion toward engagement with the labial and lingual surfaces, respectively, of the user's teeth and gums. Brief Description of the Drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the device. Figure 2 is a cross -sectional view taken along line 2-2 of Figure 1. Figure 3 is the cross-sectional view of Figure. ' 2 showing typical dimensions of the portions of the device. Figure 4 illustrates the device of Figures 1 , 2 and 3 in us e . ' Figure 5a is a cross -sectional view of the device in use on an incisor or a canine tooth prior to application of tooth pressure. Figure 5b is a cross-sec ional view of the., device i'n use on an incisor or a canine tooth during application of tooth pressure. Figure 6a is a cross -sectional view of the device in use on a premolar tooth prior to application of tooth pressure. Figure 6b is a cross-sectional view of the device in use on a premolar tooth during application of tooth pressure. Figure 7a is a cross -sectional view of the device in use on a molar tooth prior to application of tooth pressure. Figure 7b is a cross -sectional view of the device in use on a molar tooth during application of tooth pressure. Figure 8 is a perspective view of an especially preferred embodiment of the device. Figure 9 is a cross -sectional view taken along line 9-9 of Figure 8. Figure 10 is an enlarged view of the area 10 of Figure 8. Figure 11 is a cross -sectional view of the device taken along line 1-11 of Figure 10 showing the thorn-like projection in greater detail. Figure 12a is a perspective view of ( the device in use, showing the action of the thorn- like projection in the " area between teeth. Figure 12b is a cross -sec ional view of the device taken along line 11-11 of Figure 10, further showing the thorn-like projection in use. Figures 13 and 14 are cross -sectional views of alternative preferred embodiments of the device. Figure 15 is a perspective view of an alternate preferred embodiment of the device. Figure 16 is a cross -sec ional view taken along line 16-16 of Figure 15. Figure 17 is a perspective view of another alternative embodiment of the device. Figures 18 and 19 are cross -sectional views of ' the device illustrating an optional feature of the device. Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment Figure 1 illustrates a preferred embodiment of applicant's device 1. The device 1 comprises a generally cylindrical tubular body with an axial bore 3 therethrough. As further shown in Figure 1 , the device 1 has two enlarged end portions 5, 7, forming flanges, which result in a spool-shaped structure for the device 1. The device 1 is manufactured from a resilient, non- toxic material which allows the device to flex when pressure is applied to the center portion of the body. Furthermore, the material must have sufficient durability to withstand the repeated chewing action without deteriorating. Typically, the device can be manufactured from an elastomer such as Dow-Corning MDX-4-4210, or the like, having a hardness of approximately 10. to 80 as measured with a Shore schleroscope durometer. Other materials, having hardness ratings higher or lower than the range disclosed, can be substituted so long as the device is comfortable to use, has sufficient resiliency to transmit chewing pressure to the surfaces of the teeth and is durable. The material is ' preferably a medical grade, non-toxic silicone rubber material such as that used to manufacture heart valves or other implants, or a latex rubber material such as is commonly used in the manufacture of nipples for infant feeding bottles, and the like. The overall structure of one embodiment of the device 1 is illustrated in the cross-sectional view of Figure 2. The device 1 has a generally cylindrical tubular body portion 13 which separates the flange portions 5, 7 to enable the device 1 to be placed between the upper and lower teeth. Typical dimensions of the device are shown in Figure 3. The dimensions shown are exemplary for a typical adult mouth, and can vary according to the sizes of. the teeth and the thicknesses of the gums. As shown, the second flange portion 7 has a smaller diameter D^ than the first flange portion 5, D-* , in order to conform with the smaller inside dimensions of the teeth and the roof of the user's ' mouth. The lingual (inner) gum tissues tend to cover more of the tooth surface. Furthermore, the labial (outer) sur faces of the teeth are larger because of the curvature of the teeth. The smaller diameter U of the second flange portion also reduces the interference with the teethridge which forms the lingual portion of the upper arch . The device 1 is used by placing it between the upper and lower teeth as illustrated in Figure 4. Cross-sectional views of the device 1 in place are illustrated in Figures 5a, 6a and 7a in its unactivated (no pressure applied) state and in Figure 5b, 6b and 7b in its activated (pressure applied) state. Figures 5a and 5b illustrate the device's use with incisor or canine teeth; Figures 6a and 6b illustrate its use with premolars; and Figures 7a and 7b illustrate its use with molars. Although the device has a varying amount of surface .contact with the three types of teeth shown, the device ' can thoroughly clean each type, as a result of the interaction of* the tooth pressure and pressure from the tongue, lips and cheeks. A description of that interaction will be set forth below. As illustrated in Figure 5a, the occlusal surfaces 34a, 34b of the teeth 15a, 15b contact the generally cylindrical tubular portion 13 of the device 1. The teeth 15a, 15b and gums 16a, 16b contact the inside surf aces -'of the flange portions 5, 7 in the free gingiva area 33 of the gums, (i.e., the area where the teeth enter the gum tissue). An important feature of the device 1 is the axial bore 3 which enhances the amount of pressure exerted on the teeth and gums by the flange portions 5,7. " When pressure is exerted by the teeth 15a, 15b, the. axial bore 3 collapses at the center of the device 1, causing the flange portions 5, 7 to deflect inwardly as illustrated in Figure 5b. Although deflection would occur if the cylindrical body portion 13 was solid, the axial bore 3 causes the deflection from the tooth pressure to be accentuated. This occurs because the pressure does not have to be exerted against solid material between the side walls of the cylinder. Thus, less tooth pressure is required to transfer pressure to the flange portions of the device and user fatigue is therefore reduced while the pressure on the cleaning surfaces is increased. The inward deflection causes the flange portions to contact the surfaces of the teeth 15a, 15b, creating a scrubbing action as the teeth move. In addition, the inside surface of each flange portion 5, 7 contacts and massages the inside and outside surfaces of the gum tissue 16a, 16b in the free gingiva area 33. Additional pressure is provided by the force of the lips or cheeks (not shown) on the outside surface 29 of the flange portion 5 and the tongue on the outside surface 31 of the end portion 7. The additional pressures from the lips, cheeks and tongue cause the flexible material to conform to the irregular surfaces of the teeth and gums to increase the surface contact. Thus, referring again to Figures 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a and 7b, since one device cannot provide a snug fit to each of the three types of teeth illustrated, the additional, pressure from the tongue, cheeks and lips on the surfaces of the device contribute to the cleaning action. he material used is specifically chosen for its flexibility, which flexibility allows the additional pressure to increase the amount of surface contact. In particular, when' ' used on the incisor and canine teeth, where the surface contact resulting from the tooth pressure is the least amount, the lips and tongue can exert the greatest amount of pressure. Conversely, in the molar area, where the cheeks and tongue have the least effect, the surface contact caused by the snug fit is the greatest, as shown in Figure 7a and 7b . Repeated chewing action removes deposits on the surfaces of the teeth 15a, 15b. In addition, the contact with the lips, cheeks and tongue will clean the surfaces of those tissues. The chewing action itself exercises the facial muscles and muscles of mastication. In a preferred embodiment, illustrated in cross - section in Figures - 2 and 3, the first and second flange portions are dish-shaped. The inside surface 25 of the first flange portion 5 is concave. Similarly, the inside surface 27 of the second flange portion 7 is convex. This is an important feature, since it has been found that the concave and convex slanting inner surfaces of the flange portions 5, 7 provide better surface contact with the teeth and gums when the device 1 is in use. Thus, minimal additional pressure from the lips, cheeks and gums is necessary to provide sufficient surface contact for thorough teeth cleaning and gum massaging. As illustrated in Figure 2, the outer surface 29 of the first flange portion 5 and the outer surface 31 of the second flange portion 7, in an especially preferred embodiment, are also convex and concave, respectively, to provide additional comfort to the user, by allowing the lips and tongue to move more freely on the device. Furthermore, the thicknesses of the flange portions 5, 7 are radially tapered from the root to the tip to increase the flexibility of the device. The device 1 can be rolled to any position in the mouth of the user without requiring an external manipulation of the device. Typically, the user's tongue is used to reposition the device 1 within the mouth. Thus, once placed in the mouth, the device provides hands-free dental and periodontal prophylactic ..care. The rolling action of the device provides side-to -side cleaning action in addition to the up-and-down cleaning action of the device during chewing . The device described herein can have textured contact surfaces in order to provide additional cleaning and massaging action. In an especially preferred embodiment, illustrated in Figures 8 and 9, the flange portions include voids 9 and projections 11 , both arranged radially around the inside surfaces of the flange portions 5, 7. The voids 9 can be holes through the end portion as shown in Figure 8 or can be indentations 35 as shown in another embodiment in Figure 13. The edges of the holes 9 or indentations 35 provide additional surfaces to assist in scraping material from the surfaces of the teeth. Typically, the voids are 3/16" diameter holes with ten holes in the larger flange portion 5 and eight holes in the smaller flange portion 7. The projections 11 can be of many forms. In one especially preferred embodiment of the device 1 , the projections 11 are thorn-shaped and are angled toward the center of the device 1. Typically, the projections 11 are located on the perimeter of the inside surfaces of the end portions 5, 7, with ten projections 11 on the first flange portion 5 and eight projections 11 on the second flange portion 7. The thorn-shaped projections are shown in more detail in the views of Figures 10 and 11. As illustrated in Figure 12a, the projections 11 will project into the areas between the teeth to dislodge material which collects in those areas. As the device 1 is alternately clamped and released by tooth pressure, the projections 11 will dislodge surface material and pull it awa from the gum area. The thorns are also useful for efficiently cleaning the relatively inaccessible areas below the free gingiva 33 as illustrated in Figure 12b. The voids 9 and projections 11 can be used separately or in conjunction. Figure 14 shows an alternative preferred embodiment which includes bristles 19 on the inside surfaces 25, 27 of the flange portions 5, 7. Typically, the bristles would be distributed evenly over the inner surfaces 25, 27 of the flange portions 5, 7. Thus, the device can be used to more closely simulate the brushing action of a tooth brush. However, as explained above, the device can reach the more inaccessible areas of the teeth and gums since it does not have to be manipulated by a brush handle. Figures 15 and ' 16 are perspective and cross -sectional views which illustrate an alternative preferred embodiment which includes wipers 21 which provide additional scraping edges. Typically, the wipers 21 are continuous projections running circumferentially around the periphery of the inside surfaces 25, 27 of each flange portion 5, 7 as illustrated in Figure 15. Alternatively, the wipers 21 can be non-continuous (not shown). Figure 17 illustrates an alternative embodiment having ridges 43 radially disposed on the inside surfaces 25, 27 of the flange portions 5, 7. The ridges 43 are particularly advantageous to provide additional cleaning " action when the device 1 is rolled from tooth to tooth. Figure 18 illustrates a raised portion 23 in the ' center portion of the device. Typically, the raised portion 23 will be a wedge-shaped projection " which contacts the occlusal surfaces 34a, 34b of the teeth, as illustrated in Figure 19, to provide additional cleaning action to those surfaces. The raised portion 23 is particularly useful for cleaning the occlusal surfaces -of the molars and premolars. The raised portion 23 can be a continuous ridge or a series of projections around the circumference of the cylindrical tubular body portion 13. Although not required for effective use of the device, a dentifrice can be used in combination therewith. Applicants have disclosed a novel device to assist in effective dental and periodontal care. As described above, the device can be used to provide cleaning of teeth, cheeks, lips and the tongue and massaging of the gums over an extended period of time while freeing the hands for other uses, such as driving, reading, working or showering. In most circumstances the device can be used as a replacement for chewing gum while providing cleaning and massaging action not provided by chewing gum . Since the device reaches areas inaccess ib le to a normal toothbrush, the quali ty of the dental and periodontal care provided greatly exceeds that provided by a toothbrush.

Claims: [received by the International Bureau on 06 September 1985 (06.09.85); original claims 1—3 and 18 have been combined to form a new claim 1; original claims 4—17 and 19 have been renumbered as claims 2—16 (3 pages)] 1. A device for simultaneously cleaning teeth and massaging gums, having a spool-shaped member (1) formed as a single piece of resilient, non-toxic material, said member (1) having a central body portion (13) including a central void (3), said central body portion (13) having a substantially circular outer circumference to facilitate rolling said central body portion (13) between the teeth from tooth to tooth, said device characterized by: first (5) and second (7) dish-shaped flange portions extending radially outward from opposite ends of said central body portion (13), said first flange portion (5) having a concave surface (25) facing said central body portion (13) to generally conform to the labial surfaces of a user's teeth, said second flange portion (7) having a convex surface (27) facing said central body portion (13) to generally conform to the lingual surfaces of a user's teeth; said central void (3) of said body portion (13) facilitating collapse of said central body portion (13) which induces a closure of said flanges (5, 7) against the teeth and gums of a user. 2. The device as defined in Claim 1 , wherein at least one of the surfaces (25, 27) of the first (5) and second (7) flange portions facing the central body portion (13) has a plurality of circumferentially spaced projections (11), said projections (11) positioned to contact the surfaces of the teeth and the areas between the teeth. 3. The device as defined in Claim 2, wherein the projections (11) are thorn-shaped, said thorn-shaped projections (11) shaped and positioned to* dislodge food material from the areas between the teeth and pull the material away from the gum line. 4. The device as defined in Claim 2, wherein the projections are bristles (19). 5. The device as defined in Claim 2, wherein th projections (11) are wipers (21). 6. The device as defined in Claim 1 , wherein at least one of the inner surfaces (25, 27) of the first (5) and second (7) flange portions has a plurality of circumferentially spaced cavities (9) , the edges of said cavities (9) contacting the surfaces of the teeth upon closure of the flanges (5, 7) to thereby provide a scraping action on the teeth. 7. " The device as defined in Claim 6, wherein the cavities (9) penetrate through at least one of the first (5) and second (7) flange portions. 8. The device as defined in Claim 6, wherein the cavities (9) are indentations in at least one of the surfaces (25, 27) of the first (5) and seeond (7) flange portions facing the central body portion (13). 9.. The device as defined in Claim 1 , wherein the outer surface of the central body portion (13) has a plurality of raised portions (23) positioned to contact the occlusal surfaces of teeth. 10. The device as defined in Claim 1, wherein the inner surfaces (25, 27) of the first (5) and second (7) flange portions are textured. 11. The device as defined in Claim 1 , wherein the resilient, non-toxic material is a medical grade silicone rubber. 12. The device as defined in Claim 1, wherein the resilient, non-toxic material is latex rubber. 13. The device as defined in Claim 1, wherein the surface (29) of said first flange portion (5) facing away from said central body portion (13) is convex and wherein the surface (31) of said second flange portion (7) facing away from said central body portion (13) is concave. 14. The device as defined in Claim 1, wherein said first flange portion (5) has a larger outside diameter than said second flange portion (7). 15. The device as defined in Claim 1, wherein the first (5) and second (7) dish-shaped flange portions are radially tapered from the root to the tip to increase the flexibility of the flanges (5, 7). 16. A method of cleaning teeth and massaging gums, characterized by the steps of: placing a spool-shaped member (1), having an axially-bored central body portion (13) with attached dish-shaped first (5) and second (7) flange portions, between the upper and lower teeth; positioning the teeth on opposite sides of said central body portion (13); and exerting pressure on said central body portion (13) to collapse said central body portion (13), thereby moving a concave inner surface (25) of said first flange portion (5) and a convex inner surface (27) of said second flange portion (7) toward engagement with the labial and lingual surfaces, respectively, of said teeth and gums.

Inventors: DENIRO RICHARD G, RAINES DONALD B, RAINES JOSEPH B, RAINES THOMAS M, DENIRO, RICHARD, G., RAINES, DONALD, B., RAINES, JOSEPH, B., RAINES, THOMAS, M.
Applicants: DENIRO RICHARD G, RAINES DONALD B, RAINES JOSEPH B, RAINES THOMAS M, DENIRO, RICHARD, G., RAINES, DONALD, B., RAINES, JOSEPH, B., RAINES, THOMAS, M.
Application year: 1985
Main classification: A46B5
IPC codes: A46B5, A46B9, A61C15, A61H13