Patent ID: 7146675

Claim:
A handheld toothbrush comprising a brush head and an adjoining handle, wherein the brush head includes: a first set of bristle tufts arranged near a forward free end of the brush head and comprising at least one bristle tuft extending away from a bristled surface of the brush head; a second set of bristle tufts immediately rearward of the first set, the second set comprising several bristle tufts protruding from the bristled surface, arranged serially on a ring, and extending in a circumferential direction of the ring at an angle of inclination relative to the bristled surface, the second set further comprising at least one further tuft protruding from the bristled surface and extending within the bristle tufts arranged on the ring; and a third set of bristle tufts immediately rearward of the second set, the third set comprising several bristle tufts which protrude from the surface and are arranged serially on a ring, the bristle tufts of the third set inclined in a circumferential direction in opposition to the inclination of the bristle tufts of the second set.