Patent ID: 7264005

Claim:
A toothpick device for cleaning teeth, removing plaque therefrom and stimulating gums, said toothpick device being of unitary construction and comprising a double-ended, elongated, hollow member having a central portion and spaced end portions formed by two attached, convexly curved, flexible walls of predetermined shape having an elastic memory, said central portion having a central portion primary axis and a generally ovoid cross-sectional configuration formed by said walls converging to form two, spaced, opposed, elongated lines of intersection extending substantially the full length of said elongated hollow member and extending parallel to one another along said central portion, said walls both tapering at at least one of said end portions in a direction extending away from said central portion to form a tapered end portion facilitating entry of the toothpick device between adjacent teeth, one of said elongated lines of intersection at said tapered end portion converging toward the other elongated line of intersection at said tapered end portion, said walls adapted to compress inwardly toward one another and to bend about and along both of said elongated lines of intersection upon such entry and while positioned between said adjacent teeth to generally conform to the shape of a gap between said adjacent teeth receiving the toothpick device, and the elastic memory of said walls causing said walls to be maintained in frictional engagement with said adiacent teeth and gum adjoining said adjacent teeth during movement of the toothpick device between said adjacent teeth, the elastic memory of said walls further causing the walls to return to their predetermined shape after the toothpick device is removed from said gap, said tapered end portion being closed and having a generally ovoid cross-sectional configuration smaller than the generally ovoid cross-sectional configuration of said central portion.