Oral care implement

Abstract

An oral care implement is provided having a handle and a head with a soft tissue cleanser and / or tooth cleaning elements. The tooth cleaning elements may be attached to a flexible support on the head and be outwardly movable from the head. The cleaning elements may include a column-shaped bristle at the central portion of the flexible support, and may further include a row of first cleaning elements traversing a central region of the flexible support. The soft tissue cleanser may include a plurality of projections for cleaning the soft tissue and may have an elongate ridge projecting from the head in generally the same direction as the projections. The handle may include a base with a gripping region and a projection protruding from the base in the gripping region. The handle may also have a grip surface with a plurality of spaced slot openings exposing portions of the base.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application is a continuation in part of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 768,363, filed Jan. 30, 2004, which is a continuation in part application of U.S. application Ser. No. 10 / 697,213, filed Oct. 30, 2003.

[0002] Further, this application is a continuation in part of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11 / 019,671, filed Dec. 23, 2004, which: (1) is a continuation in part of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 869,922, filed Jun. 18, 2004, which is a continuation in part of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 601,106, filed Jun. 20, 2003; (2) is a continuation in part of PCT Patent Application Serial No. PCT / US03 / 030633 (designating the U.S.) filed Sep. 26, 2003, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 414,117, filed Sep. 27, 2002, U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 418,776, filed Oct. 16, 2002, and U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 419,425, filed Oct. 18, 20...

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