Tree pull floss

Abstract

A dental floss 100 comprising a thread 102 and bristles 104. The bristles are distributed along and around at least a portion of the thread to remove debris from between the teeth. The bristles are ar

Description

FIELD The present invention relates to a dental floss apparatus. More specifically, the present invention relates to a dental floss comprising a plurality of bristles to improve the cleaning between teeth. BACKGROUND Developing and practising good oral hygiene habits through the regular brushing of teeth, flossing, and using mouthwash, is important for maintaining good oral health. These habits can prevent the formation of cavities, reduce the build-up of plaque or tartar, and reduce the risk of gum disease. Academic research has shown that oral hygiene is directly linked to the development and progression of a variety of other health conditions, including diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, Alzheimer’s diseases, rheumatoid arthritis, and certain forms of cancer. Oral hygiene has also been shown to affect the gut microbiome and lead to complications during pregnancy. Standard toothbrushes, such as manual and electric toothbrushes, are limited in their ability to provide comprehensive cleaning in the small spaces between adjacent teeth. Toothbrush bristles are often unable to fully penetrate these spaces, thereby leading to ineffective and incomplete cleaning. Dental floss can be used to improve cleaning within these regions but may not be effective. More recently, water flossers have gained popularity as an additional tool for enabling good oral hygiene at home. However, their high price tag compared to more traditional oral hygiene products can be a barrier to their adoption. Water flossers are a useful tool for irrigating larger spaces between teeth but are generally considered to be less suitable for cleaning teeth that are more tightly packed. Interdental brushes (ID), such as those produced by TePe ®, are considered by dental hygiene experts to be one of the most effective tools for cleaning between adjacent teeth. ID brushes enable the removal of debris and plaque more effectively between teeth compared with normal toothbrushes or floss. However, ID brushes can pose a higher risk of damaging and even puncturing the gums during use, due to the presence of a metal core and difficulty of use experienced by some patients. Patients who struggle to use ID brushes may therefore find flossing to be a simpler and more accessible way of cleaning these regions compared to using ID brushes. Additional difficulties with using ID brushes can also arise due to the different spacing of teeth along the upper and lower rows of teeth. This variation may require patients to purchase a variety of different sizes of ID brush. This can quickly increase the cost associated with using ID brushes, and the complexity of using these devices. These limitations may further deter patients from using them regularly, thereby leading to poor oral hygiene. Therefore, there is a need for a dental cleaning device that is both simple to use and that can also provide comparable, or preferably, more effective cleaning than existing ID brush devices. Such a tool may help patients to form and maintain better oral cleaning habits. There is also a need to achieve this simply and cost-effectively, while also reducing waste. It is the aim of the present invention to address at least some of these objectives. Further advantages will become obvious from the following disclosure. SUMMARY According to the present invention, there is provided a dental floss apparatus as set forth in the appended claims. Other features of the invention will be apparent from the dependent claims, and the description which follows. According to one example, there is provided a dental floss apparatus comprising a thread. The thread is configured to be pulled between adjacent teeth. The dental floss apparatus further comprises a plurality of bristles. The plurality of bristles are disposed along and around at least a portion of the thread. The plurality of bristles are configured to remove debris from between the adjacent teeth, in use. The plurality of bristles are arranged to project outwards from the thread. The plurality of bristles are arranged into at least one group of bristles Advantageously, the apparatus may provide a dental floss that is flexible and easy to use whilst being capable of providing more effective cleaning action between adjacent teeth than existing dental flosses. The apparatus may therefore enable users to form and maintain better oral hygiene habits and may also allow this to be achieved by using a single product instead of multiple products. For example, a combination of floss and interdental brushes. The flexible nature of the thread may further reduce the likelihood of gum damage occurring compared to other devices, such as ID brushes comprising a metal core. The at least one group of bristles may comprise a plurality of groups of bristles. The plurality of groups of bristles may be separated from each other along the thread. Advantageously, this arrangement may enable the floss apparatus to provide multiple brushing regions, thereby improving the efficacy of debris removal from adjacent teeth. Providing multiple brushing regions also increases the ease of use as a user is able to select which brushing region to use. The plurality of groups of bristles may comprise at least two adjacent groups of bristles. Advantageously, this enables the plurality of groups of bristles that are arranged separately along the floss apparatus to be grouped together. The adjacent groups of bristles may provide further enhanced cleaning between adjacent teeth. The separation distance between the adjacent groups of bristles may be substantially the same as the width of a human tooth. Advantageously, this may provide optimal spacing between the bristles in order to enable the thread and bristles to clear debris from between the adjacent teeth. The adjacent groups of bristles may be separated by a section of tape. The tape may comprise a cross-sectional profile that differs from that of the thread. Advantageously, the section of tape may provide a different cleaning action compared to the thread, thereby further enhancing the cleaning mechanism of the apparatus. At least a portion of the thread between the plurality of groups of bristles may be formed of a bridge floss having a higher rigidity than the thread. Advantageously, this may enable the dental floss to be navigated more easily and used to effectively clean dental bridges. The thread may be arranged to run through the section of tape. Advantageously, this may provide the apparatus with a simple and strong construction that is easy to manufacture. The apparatus may be arranged such that the thread comprises a plurality of sections of thread, each being separated by the section of tape. The plurality of bristles may comprise bristles of different lengths. Advantageously, this may provide a varied cleaning action along the length of the group of bristles and / or along the thread. This may in turn lead to more effective cleaning of the adjacent teeth and space therebetween. The plurality of bristles may be disposed along the thread according to their length to provide a tapered arrangement. Advantageously, this may provide an enhanced cleaning effect and increased usability for a user. A user would not need a different apparatus to cater for different sized gaps between different pairs of adjacent teeth. Instead, the tapered provision of bristles means that a single apparatus would be usable between all adjacent pairs of teeth in a user’s mouth. The bristles of the at least two adjacent groups of bristles may be arranged to taper in opposite directions. Advantageously, this may provide enhanced cleaning between adjacent teeth. That is, in use, as the user moved the thread back and forth, the smallest bristles are arranged to come into contact with the user’s teeth first. The plurality of bristles within a group of bristles may be tapered to provide a rhombusshaped arrangement along the thread. In other words, the bristles within a group of bristles may be arranged along the thread from shortest to longest, and then from longest to shortest within the same group of bristles. The rhombus-shaped arrangement may provide a gradual increase in bristle length from a first end to a second end, with a peak (longest bristle length) provided in a substantially central position within the group of bristles. Advantageously, this may provide an enhanced cleaning action. The plurality of bristles within the group of bristles may be disposed about the thread in a series of rings. Advantageously, bristles arranged in a ring provide a full 360° cleaning action as the floss apparatus is pulled back and forth between adjacent teeth, thereby leading to more effective cleaning. Each ring from the series of rings comprises bristles of substantially the same length. Advantageously, this may ensure that the cleaning action provided by the rings of bristles is consistent around the whole thread. The series of rings of bristles are arranged concentrically. The apparatus may be further arranged such that the rings are arranged in order of bristle size to provide a tapered arrangement. Advantageously, this arrangement may provide an enhanced and more consistent cleaning action. The arrangement may further provide a substantially cone-shaped volume of bristles that may provide improved cleaning between the adjacent teeth. Adjacent rings of the series of rings may be separated from each other by a distance of upto 0.3 mm. Advantageously, this provides each ring of bristles with space to flex and bend without interfering or becoming entangled with bristles from the adjacent rings of bristles. The series of rings may be connected to provide a spiral arrangement around the thread. Advantageously, this may provide an enhanced cleaning action. This arrangement may also provide a smoother transition between bristles of different lengths. The thread and / or plurality of bristles may be formed from a suitable polymer. Advantageously, this may ensure that the apparatus is formed from a strong, flexible, widely used, and medically approved material. The apparatus may comprise a smallest sized bristle may have a length of at least 0.2 mm and a largest sized bristle may have a length of at least 12 mm. Advantageously, this may ensure that the bristles are within an appropriate size range for use with teeth and to provide effective cleaning between adjacent teeth. The plurality of bristles may comprise different thicknesses. The thinnest bristle cross-sectional diameter may be from at least 10 microns up to 100 microns, such as at least 10 microns up to 50 microns, such as at least 10 microns up to 20 microns. The thickest bristle cross-sectional diameter may be from at least 1 mm up to 3 mm, such as at least 1 mm up to 2 mm, or from 1 mm up to 1.7 mm. Advantageously, this may provide a varied and more effective cleaning action. As used herein, unless otherwise expressly specified, all numbers such as those expressing values, ranges, amounts or percentages may be read as if prefaced by the word “about”, even if the term does not expressly appear. The term “about” when used herein means +1-10% of the stated value. Also, any numerical range recited herein is intended to include all sub-ranges subsumed therein. Singular encompasses plural and vice versa. The terms "comprising" and "comprises" as used herein are synonymous with "including" or "containing" and are inclusive or open-ended and do not exclude additional, non-recited members, elements or method steps. Additionally, although the present invention has been described in terms of “comprising”, the processes, materials, and coating compositions detailed herein may also be described as “consisting essentially of’ or “consisting of’. When used herein, “average” refers to the mean average, unless otherwise provided for. All the features contained herein may be combined with any of the above aspects in any combination. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS Features of examples of the present disclosure will become apparent by reference to the following detailed description and drawings, in which like reference numerals correspond to similar, though perhaps not identical, components FIG. 1 shows a dental floss apparatus. FIG. 2 shows another dental floss apparatus, comprising a plurality of groups of bristles. FIG. 3 shows the dental floss apparatus of FIG. 2, with a section of tape separating the adjacent groups of bristles. FIG. 4 shows a dental floss apparatus, comprising a plurality of bristles having different lengths. FIG. 5 shows the dental floss apparatus of FIG. 4, wherein the bristles of different lengths are arranged in a tapered formation. FIG. 6 shows a dental floss apparatus, comprising adjacent groups of bristles, each being arranged in a tapered formation. FIG. 7 shows the dental floss apparatus of FIG. 6, with a section of tape arranged to separate the adjacent groups of bristles. FIG. 8 shows the dental floss apparatus with having a different bristle arrangement. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Hereinafter, various examples will be described with reference to the accompanying figures. The examples described below may be modified and implemented in various different forms. In order to more clearly describe features of the examples, detailed descriptions of matters well known to those skilled in the art to which the following examples belong will be omitted. The apparatus 100 is intended to operate in a similar manner to floss. That is, that a user will hold each side of the apparatus 100 and manoeuvre it back and forth between adjacent teeth. As the apparatus includes a thread and bristles, as will be described in more detail below, it is flexible to enable a user to easily pass it through teeth, whilst also being adept at removing debris due to the presence of the bristles. Figure 1 illustrates a dental floss apparatus 100. The apparatus 100 comprises a thread 102. The thread 100 is configured to be pulled between adjacent teeth in a user’s mouth. The apparatus 100 further comprises a plurality of bristles 104. The plurality of bristles 104 are disposed along and around at least a portion of the thread 102. The plurality of bristles 104 are configured to remove debris from between the adjacent teeth, when in use. The plurality of bristles 104 are arranged to project outwards from the thread 102. The plurality of bristles 104 are further arranged into at least one group of bristles 106. The thread 102 may be formed of a flexible material that is configured to provide easy manipulation and manoeuvrability during use. The thread 102 may be formed of a suitable material. A suitable material may be a suitable plastic, such as nylon, for example, nylon 66; polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) or Teflon®; or polystyrene. The skilled person will appreciate that this is a non-exhaustive list and that various other materials may be used. The thread 102 may comprise a coating. For example, the thread 102 may be coated with fluoride, configured to enhance the cleaning efficacy provided by the thread 102. The thread 102 may be coated with a flavouring agent, configured to provide an enhanced user experience. The thread 102 may be coated with a wax, or a suitable alternative, configured to provide a smooth flossing action and to reduce friction between the thread 102 and adjacent teeth. The apparatus 100 may be configured to be wound for spatially efficient storage. For example, the thread 100 may be configured to be wound into a roll. The roll may be stored in a suitable container or dispenser to enable a user to dispense an appropriate length of the dental floss. The thread 102 may comprise at least one break point, perforation, or suitable equivalent feature to enable a clean break to be achieved between lengths of the apparatus 100. In other words, at least one break point, perforation, or the like may be arranged between pre-defined lengths of the thread 102, thereby enabling a user to obtain a section of thread 102 having an appropriate length for effective use. The break points, perforations, or the like, may be separated along the thread 102 at regular intervals. For example, the break points, perforations, or the like may have a regular separation distance of at least 20 cm, such as at least 30 cm, or at least 40 cm. Alternatively, the apparatus 100 may be stored in a container comprising a cutting device configured to enable a user to cut the thread 102 at an appropriate length. The thread 102 may comprise cross-section. The thread 102 cross-section may be substantially circular or oval, or the like. As outlined above and as shown in Figures 1-7, the apparatus 100 may comprise a plurality of bristles 104. For example, the plurality of bristles 104 may comprise at least 50 bristles, more preferably at least 100 bristles, more preferably at least 500 bristles, more preferably at least 1000 bristles. The plurality bristles 104, in use, may be configured to provide a brushing motion on the teeth and / or gums in region between adjacent teeth. The plurality of bristles 104 may therefore provide an effective brushing action to remove debris, such as food debris, plaque, tartar, and the like from the adjacent teeth. The thread 102 may comprise a longitudinal axis (not shown) along its length. The plurality of bristles 104 may be arranged to project outwards from the thread 102 at an angle. The angle may be a right angle (90°) relative to the longitudinal axis of the thread 102. Alternatively, the plurality of bristles 104 may be configured to project outwards from the thread 102 at an angle between 10° and 170°, more preferably between 20° and 160°, or more preferably between 30° and 150°, relative to the longitudinal axis of the thread 102. The at least one group of bristles 106 may comprise multiple individual bristles from the plurality of bristles 104. Although Figure 1 shows a group of bristles 106 having only six individual bristles 104, the group of bristles 106 may comprise many more bristles 104 to provide an effective cleaning action. For example, a group of bristles 106 may comprise at least 10 bristles, such as at least 20 bristles, such as at least 50 bristles, such as at least 100 bristles, or at least 500 bristles. Figure 2 illustrates a further example of the apparatus 100. As shown, the at least one group of bristles 106 may be a plurality of groups of bristles 106. In other words, the apparatus 100 may comprise multiple individual groups of bristles 106, each containing a plurality of bristles 104. The plurality of groups of bristles 106 may be arranged along the length of the thread 102. The plurality of groups of bristles 106 may be separated along the length of the thread 102. In other words, a first group of bristles 106a and a second group of bristles 106b may be separated by a section of thread 102. That is, the bristles within the first group of bristles 106a may be arranged in close proximity to each other and the bristles within the second group of bristles may be arranged to close proximity to each other. The first group of bristles 106a and the second group of bristles may be separated by a predetermined gap. For example, the plurality of groups of bristles 106 may be arranged and spaced along the thread 102 in the longitudinal direction. The plurality of groups of bristles 106 may include at least 2 groups of bristles, such as at least 4 groups of bristles, such as at least 6 groups of bristles, such as at least 8 groups of bristles, or at least 10 groups of bristles. Of course, the skilled person will appreciate that the number of groups of bristles 106 may depend upon the total length of the thread 102. The number of groups of bristles 106 may further depend upon the spacing of the groups of bristles 106 along the thread 102. As Figure 2 further shows, the plurality of groups of bristles 106 may comprise at least two adjacent groups of bristles 108. In other words, at least two consecutively arranged groups of bristles 106 from the plurality of groups of bristles 106 may be arranged in close proximity such that the at least two groups of bristles 106 form adjacent groups of bristles 108. The spacing distance provided between the at least two adjacent groups of bristles 108 may be less than the spacing distance between consecutively arranged groups of bristles 106 that are not adjacent. In other words, the spacing between non-adjacent groups of bristles 106 is greater than the spacing between the at least two adjacent groups of bristles 108. In one example, the two adjacent group of bristles may be referred to as a pair of groups of bristles. Pairs of groups of bristles may be separated from each other by a second predetermined distance that is larger than the distance between the groups of bristles forming the pair. The separation distance between consecutively arranged but non-adjacent groups of bristles 106 may be at least 2 times, such as at least 3 times, such as at least 4 times, or at least 5 times greater than the separation distance between the at least two adjacent groups of bristles 108. The separation distance between the adjacent groups of bristles 108 may be substantially the same as a human tooth. For example, the separation distance between adjacent groups of bristles 108 may be at least 0.5 cm, such as at least 1 cm, such as at least 2 cm. The separation distance between adjacent groups of bristles may be up to 4 cm, such as up to 3 cm, such as up to 2 cm. Figure 3 illustrates a further example of the apparatus 100. As shown, the at least two adjacent groups of bristles 108 may be separated by a section of tape 110. The tape 110 may comprise a cross-sectional profile that is different compared to the cross-sectional profile of the thread 102. For example, the tape 110 may have a broader and / or flatter and / or substantially rectangular cross-sectional profile compared to the substantially circular or oval cross section of the thread 102, as described above. The tape 110 may be formed of a suitable plastic, such as nylon, for example, nylon 66; polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) or Teflon®; polystyrene; or another suitable material. The tape 110 and the thread 102 may be formed of the same material. The tape 110 may be coated. For example, the tape 110 may be coated with fluoride, configured to enhance the cleaning efficacy provided by the tape 110. The tape 110 may be coated with a flavouring agent to provide an enhanced user experience. The tape 110 may be coated with a wax, configured to provide a smooth flossing action and to reduce friction. The tape 110 may be dental floss tape, such as bridge tape. The section of tape 110 may have a length that is substantially the same as the separation distance between the adjacent groups of bristles 108. Alternatively, the section of tape 110 may have a length that is less than the separation distance between the adjacent groups of bristles 108. In other words, the section of tape 110 may only extend between a portion of the spacing between the at least two adjacent groups of bristles 108. In some examples, the thread 102 may be arranged to pass through the section of tape 110. In other words, the thread 102 may act as a central core around which the section of tape 110 is attached or connected. In alternative examples, the section of tape 110 may replace the thread 102 that would otherwise extend between the at least two adjacent groups of bristles 108. In such an arrangement, the thread 102 may comprise a plurality of sections of thread 102, with each section of thread 102 being separated by a section of tape 110 extending between at least two adjacent groups of bristles 108. In one example, the tape 110 is simply attached to section of thread 102. In other examples, the tape 110 may be wound around the thread 102 to provide a thicker portion of dental floss. Figure 4 illustrates an example of the apparatus 100 comprising a plurality of bristles 104 comprising different lengths. In some examples each individual bristle from the plurality of bristles 104 may have a different length. The plurality of bristles 104 may comprise multiple bristles having the same or a substantially similar length. For example, the smallest length of a bristle may be between 0.05 mm and 1 mm, such as at least 0.1 mm up to at least 0.4 mm, or at least 0.1 mm up to 0.2 mm. The largest length of a bristle may be from at least 4 mm up to at least 14 mm, such as at least 8 mm up to 14 mm, or from at least 10 mm up to 12 mm. As illustrated in Figure 5, the bristles from plurality of bristles 104 comprising different lengths may be disposed along the thread 102 according to their length, thereby providing a tapered arrangement 112. In other words, the plurality of bristles 104 may be arranged along the length of a portion of the thread 102 according to the length of said bristles, for example, from smallest to largest, or largest to smallest. As shown in Figure 6, the bristles 104 forming the at least two adjacent groups of bristles 108 may be arranged to taper 112 in opposite directions. This tapering may achieved by arranging the bristles according to their length. In other words, the bristles 104 forming a first group of bristles 106a from the at least two adjacent groups of bristles 108 may be arranged to taper along the thread 102 in a first direction, meanwhile the bristles 104 forming a second group of bristles 106b from the at least two adjacent groups of bristles 108 may be arranged to taper along the thread 102 in a second direction. The bristles forming the first and second groups 106a, 106b from the at least two adjacent groups of bristles 108 may be arranged to taper inwards towards each other. In other words, the shortest length bristles from the first and second groups 106a, 106b may be arranged closer to each other than the longest length bristles from the first and second groups 106a, 106b. Figure 7 shows a similar arrangement to Figure 6. In this example, the at least two adjacent groups of bristles 108 are separated by a section of tape 110, as shown in Figure 3. In this example, the section of tape 110 may be positioned in the spacing between at least two adjacent groups of bristles 108 having a tapered 112 arrangement. The plurality of bristles 104 from the at least one group of bristles 106 may be disposed about the thread in a series of rings. The plurality bristles 104 forming each ring within the series of rings may comprise bristles 104 of substantially the same length. In other words, the bristles 104 that form each ring from the series of rings may have the same or a substantially similar length, thereby enabling the rings from the series of rings to be arranged and / or grouped according to the length or size of the plurality of bristles 104 in each ring. For example, the apparatus 100 may arranged such that each ring from the series of rings comprises a plurality of bristles 104 having different lengths compared to adjacent rings from within the same series of rings. In another arrangement, at least two rings from the series of rings may comprise a plurality of bristles 104 having substantially the same or similar bristle 104 lengths. Of course, the skilled person will appreciate that the bristles 104 forming each ring within the series of may also be grouped according to another characteristic, such as bristle thickness. The series of rings of bristles may be arranged concentrically. In other words, the rings of bristles 104 from the series of rings of bristles 104 may be centred about a longitudinal axis of the thread 102. The plurality of bristles 104 may be arranged to extend from the thread 102 around the whole circumference or perimeter of the thread 102. The plurality bristles 104 may be regularly arranged around the exterior surface of the thread 102. Of course, the skilled person will appreciate that the specific number of bristles 104 and spacing thereof around the thread 102 may depend upon the size of the plurality of bristles 104, such as the thickness of the plurality of bristles 104, and the surface area of the thread 102. The series of rings may be arranged in order of bristle 104 size or length, thereby providing a tapered arrangement. In other words, each ring may comprise bristles 104 that extend radially outwards from the thread 102 at a different length. The series of rings of bristles may therefore produce a three-dimensional cone-shaped bristle arrangement, with the longitudinal axis of the thread 102 being substantially aligned with a longitudinal axis of the cone-shaped bristle arrangement. The series of rings of bristles 104 may comprise a plurality of rings, such as at least 2 rings, such as at least 4 rings, such as at least 6 rings, or at least 8 rings. The series of rings of bristles 104 may comprise adjacent rings, such as at least two adjacent rings. The adjacent rings within the series of rings may be separated from each other by a distance of up to 0.3 mm, such as up to 0.25 mm, such as up to 0.2 mm, such as up to 0.15 mm, or up to 0.1 mm. In another arrangement, the plurality of bristles 104 within the at least one group of bristles 106 may be disposed about the thread in a spiral formation extending along the length of the thread 102. The spiral arrangement may provide a tapered arrangement and / or produce a three-dimensional cone-shaped bristle arrangement, with the longitudinal axis of the thread 102 being substantially aligned with a longitudinal axis of the cone shaped arrangement of bristles 104. The bristles of the plurality of bristles 104 may comprise different thicknesses. Alternatively, the thicknesses of the plurality of bristles 104 may the substantially the same or similar. As used herein, bristle thickness refers to the cross-sectional diameter of said bristles. The plurality of bristles 104 may comprise a thickness within a range defined by a maximum thickness and a minimum thickness. The thinnest bristles may have a cross-sectional diameter from at least 10 microns up to 100 microns, such as at least 10 microns up to 50 microns, such as at least 10 microns up to 20 microns. The thickest bristles, corresponding to a maximum thickness, may have a cross-sectional diameter from at least 1 mm up to 3 mm, such as from at least 1 mm up to 2 mm, or from 1 mm up to 1.7 mm. Figure 8 shows another example of the dental floss apparatus 100. In this example, a thread 102 is provided as described previously. The thread 102 comprises a plurality of groups of bristles 106a, 106b. The adjacent groups of bristles 108 are separated by a section of tape 110. The plurality of bristles 104 comprised within the groups of bristles 106, 106b are arranged in a double-tapered arrangement. As shown in Figure 8, the side profile of this double-tapered bristle arrangement provides each group of bristles with a rhombus-shaped profile. In other words, shorter bristles 104 are arranged at the ends of the group of bristles 106a, 106b, with an increase in bristle length towards the centre of the group of bristles 106a, 106b. The longest bristles are therefore located in a central portion of the group of bristles 106a, 106b. Of course, other patterns of bristles may be achieved by repeating this pattern, or parts thereof, to provide a longer brushing action. The rhombus-shaped arrangement provides a gradual increase in bristle length from a first end to a second end, with a peak (longest bristle length) provided in a substantially central position within the group of bristles. The arrangement of Figure 8 also shows that at least one portion of the thread 102 adjacent to the groups of bristles 106a, 106b is replaced with a bridge floss 114. The bridge floss 114 is formed of a more rigid material than the thread, and thus can be more easily navigated between certain dental features, such as between dental bridges. Other suitable equivalents may be used that are capable of providing a more rigid structure than the thread 102. In the present disclosure, when an element is described as "connected" or “coupled” with another element, this includes not only “directly connected” or “directly coupled”, but also “connected with another element therebetween” or “coupled with another element therebetween”. In addition, when one element is described to "include" another element, this means that, unless specifically stated otherwise, the one element may further include other elements rather than excluding other elements. Reference in the specification to “an example”, “an embodiment”, “an aspect” or similar language means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the example is included in at least one example, but not necessarily in other examples. The various instances of the phrase “in one example” or similar phrases in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same example. In describing and claiming examples disclosed herein, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. While several examples have been described in detail, it is to be understood that the disclosed examples may be modified. Therefore, the foregoing description is to be considered 5 non-limiting. It should be understood that the examples described herein should be considered in a descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation. Descriptions of features or aspects within each example should typically be considered as available for other similar features or aspects in other examples. While one or more examples have been described with reference to the figures, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form 10 and details may be made.

Claims

1. A dental floss apparatus comprising:a thread, configured to be pulled between adjacent teeth;a plurality of bristles disposed along and around at least a portion of the thread and configured to remove debris from between the adjacent teeth, in use;wherein the plurality of bristles are arranged to project outwards from the thread; andwherein the plurality of bristles are arranged into at least one group of bristles.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one group of bristles comprises a plurality of groups of bristles, the plurality of groups being separated from each other along the thread.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the plurality of groups of bristles comprises at least two adjacent groups of bristles.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein a separation distance between the at least two adjacent groups of bristles is substantially the same as the width of a human tooth.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the at least two adjacent groups of bristles are separated by a section of tape, the tape having a different cross-sectional profile than the thread.

6. The apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein at least a portion of the thread between the plurality of groups of bristles is formed of a bridge floss having a higher rigidity than the thread.

7. The apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the plurality of bristles comprises bristles of different lengths.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the bristles from the plurality of bristles are disposed along the thread according to their length to provide a tapered arrangement.

9. The apparatus of claim 3 and 8, wherein the bristles in the at least two adjacent groups of bristles are arranged to taper in opposite directions.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the plurality of bristles within a group of bristles are tapered to provide a rhombus-shaped arrangement along the thread.

11. The apparatus of any one of claims 7-10, wherein the plurality of bristles within the at least one group of bristles are disposed about the thread in a series of rings.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein each ring from the series of rings comprises bristles of substantially the same length.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the series of rings are arranged concentrically.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 or 13, wherein the series of rings are arranged in order of bristle size to provide a tapered arrangement.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein adjacent rings of the series of rings are separated from each other by a distance of up to 0.3 mm.

16. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the series of rings are connected to provide a spiral arrangement around the thread.

17. The apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the thread and / or plurality of bristles are formed from a suitable polymer18. The apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein a smallest bristle size has a length of at least 0.2 mm.

19. The apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein a largest bristle size has a length of up to 12 mm.

20. The apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the bristles of the plurality of bristles comprise different thicknesses.5 21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein a thinnest bristle has a cross-sectional diameter of upto 50 microns.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein a thickest bristle has a cross-sectional diameter up to 2 mm.

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