Patent ID: 8293283

Claim:
A method for alleviating an infection of a tissue in an oral cavity, the method comprising administering a composition comprising a chlorine dioxide source and oxy-chlorine anions to the oral cavity, wherein the composition comprises choline dioxide, thereby alleviating the infection of the tissue in the oral cavity, wherein the administering step comprises one or more of: i) contacting the tissue with a composition comprising the chlorine dioxide source and oxy-chlorine anions, wherein the composition comprises at least about 5 ppm chlorine dioxide and no more than about 0.25 milligrams oxy-chlorine anion per gram composition and is a substantially non-cytotoxic composition; ii) contacting the tissue with a device comprising the chlorine dioxide source and oxy-chlorine anions, wherein the device delivers a substantially oxy-chlorine anion free chlorine dioxide composition comprising no more than about 0.25 milligrams oxy-chlorine anion per gram composition to the tissue; or iii) contacting the tissue with a composition comprising the chlorine dioxide source and oxy-chlorine anions; and a barrier substance that substantially prohibits passage therethrough of the oxy-chlorine anions and permits passage therethrough of a substantially oxy-chlorine anion free chlorine dioxide composition comprising no more than about 0.25 milligrams oxy-chlorine anion per gram composition, thereby delivering the substantially oxy-chlorine anion free chlorine dioxide composition to the tissue.