Abstract:
A method for teeth cleaning without using anesthetics can be conducted on animals having teeth and movable jaws. A human operator uses their hand to expose animal teeth for cleaning. The teeth are cleaned by touching the teeth with an elongated member having a hard tip.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The invention pertains to the field of dental cleaning. More particularly, the invention pertains to a non-anesthetic dental cleaning method and system for animals.  
         [0003]     2. Description of Related Art  
         [0004]     Dental cleaning is known. U.S. Pat. No. 6,514,077 to Wilk discloses a method for dental plaque removal intended for consumer use which comprises filling the mouth with a physiologically acceptable cleaning solution, solvent, or wash, holding such solution in the mouth under voluntary muscular control, thereafter inserting through the lips an elongate acoustically excitable probe forming, under muscular control, a seal with the lips. The probe is energized and a sonic or ultrasonic cleaning action in the mouth removes incipient plaque deposits from the teeth, without the necessity of visiting each tooth individually with a manual or partially automatic mechanical cleaning implement, such as a toothbrush. In an alternative embodiment, fluid fill is provided through a channel in the probe and filling of the mouth is accomplished following insertion. The method may be used in a more general sense to acoustically clean articles in a flexible portable enclosure by means of a portable probe or tool.  
         [0005]     However, teeth, under certain circumstances, may still need to be cleaned individually. For example, plaque on certain teeth sometimes still needs scratching for their removal. Traditionally, for animals, anesthetics are applied for ease of cleaning due to the possible reactions from the animals such as biting, etc. The use of anesthetics can be elaborate and may have an adverse effect upon the animals. Therefore, a non-anesthetic dental cleaning method and system for animals is desirable.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     A non-anesthetic dental cleaning method and system for animals is provided.  
         [0007]     A method for teeth cleaning without using anesthetics can be conducted on animals having teeth and movable jaws. A human operator uses their hand to expose animal teeth for cleaning. The teeth are cleaned by touching the teeth with an elongated member having a hard tip. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING  
       [0008]      FIG. 1  shows a method of the present invention.  
         [0009]      FIG. 2  shows the location for placing operator&#39;s finger while applying the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0010]     Referring to  FIGS. 1-2 , part of an animal such as the muzzle portion  10  of a dog  12  is shown. Dog  12  has at least some teeth and a movable jaw. A human operator having a pair of hands (only one hand  14  shown) is used to clean the teeth  16  of dog  12 . Dog  12  has lips that cover the dog&#39;s teeth  16 . Hand  14  is used to secure the dog  12  and expose the teeth  16  behind the lips for dental cleaning using known tools such as scraper  18 . Muzzle portion  10  may be manipulated by the other hand of the pair of hands.  
         [0011]     Securing to the dog  12  may be done by way of holding the muzzle portion  10 . For example, hand  14  holds the upper portion of the mouth as shown. Alternatively, hand  14  may hold the lower portion of the mouth from below (not shown). A second operator may use scraper  18  for cleaning the teeth  16  of the dog  12 . One or more fingers of the hand  14  may be placed inside the mouth of the dog  12  in order to keep the teeth  16  exposed for cleaning and related operations. For example, the index finger  20  and/or middle finger  22  of the hand  14  may be placed within the mouth of the dog  12  between the teeth  16 . The purpose of placing fingers somewhat within the mouth is to expose teeth  16  for cleaning or plaque removal.  
         [0012]     To prevent the teeth  16  from clumping down upon the fingers, the human hand  14  should not extend too far into the area between the teeth  16 . By way of an example, the index finger  20  and/or middle finger  22  may be placed between the first molars  24  and/or the second molars  26  of the teeth  16  behind the canine teeth  28 . Alternatively, if the inside of teeth  16  can be cleaned without placing the fingers between teeth  16 , it is generally advisable not to do so. In order to hold or secure the mouth, the thumb  30  of the hand  14  is placed on the opposite side of the muzzle portion  10  for securing the same for teeth cleaning.  
         [0013]     As can be seen,  FIG. 1  shows the cleaning of one side of teeth  16 . The other side of teeth  16  can be cleaned under similar conditions. In other words, the index finger  20  and/or middle finger  22  are placed on the opposite side of the mouth using a similar method of cleaning discussed supra. The cleaning of the teeth  16  is done using known methods. The index finger  20  and/or middle finger  22  may be placed further behind the canine teeth on the gum area of the dog  12 . Thereby, before teeth  12  bites down, a human operator (only her hand  14  shown) can detect an indication such as a directional movement of the gum indicating the start of the biting down, therefore moving the fingers away accordingly.  
         [0014]     The dog  12  may be bodily restrained by the human operator&#39;s two legs with the operator sitting on a flat surface. Alternatively, other means of restraint using known or unknown methods may be used. A piece of absorbent cloth may be applied upon the periphery of teeth  16  to absorb extra saliva before or during cleaning. Sometimes, before cleaning some portions of teeth  16 , an elongated member may be required to ply open the clumped teeth  16  between teeth  16 . Therefore cleaning can be performed with ease.  
         [0015]     Further, a dog  12  is shown in  FIG. 1 . However, other types of animals&#39; teeth cleanings are contemplated by the present invention&#39;s method and system of teeth cleaning.  
         [0016]     The following is a method for cleaning an animal&#39;s teeth without the application of anesthetics. From over the animal&#39;s mouth, a human hand holding open the mouth of the animal via the animal&#39;s upper jaw (lip) with only the thumb at one end positioned within the mouth. The thumb is placed on the first molar behind the canine tooth (which is adjacent to the first molar). Similarly, from under the mouth, the index or middle finger of the right hand is placed similarly on the opposite molars behind the opposite canine tooth. The other hand of the human that holds an elongated member with a sharp semi-hooked end scrapes the inner side of the animal&#39;s teeth.  
         [0017]     Accordingly, it is to be understood that the embodiments of the invention herein described are merely illustrative of the application of the principles of the invention. Reference herein to details of the illustrated embodiments is not intended to limit the scope of the claims, which themselves recite those features regarded as essential to the invention.