Patent ID: 8667634

Claim:
A mouthpiece for cleaning teeth, comprising: a mouthpiece carrier member ( 14 ) having upper and lower sections adapted to receive the upper and lower teeth of a user; a bristle tuft assembly ( 20 ) mounted on the mouthpiece carrier member; and a system ( 12 ) for moving the mouthpiece carrier sections to produce a bristle motion which has a significant axial component, resulting in bristles in the bristle assembly moving toward the teeth, contacting the teeth and moving away from the teeth for cleaning thereof, wherein the system for moving includes a rotary motor having a rotating drive shaft which is connected to an inner portion ( 26 ) of the mouthpiece carrier member and an eccentric ( 30 ) mounted on the drive shaft which is connected to an outer portion ( 28 ) of the mouthpiece carrier member, wherein action of the motor and the rotating drive shaft produces axial bristle motion as well as a sweeping bristle motion across the teeth.