Tablet-type cleanser for oral appliance

Abstract

To provide a tablet-type cleanser for an oral appliance comprising isopropyl methylphenol and menthol, while preventing sticking at the time of tableting.SOLUTION: The tablet-type cleanser for an oral appliance according to the present disclosure contains (A) isopropyl methylphenol, (B) menthol, (C) at least one selected from the group consisting of malic acid and salts thereof, and (D) a foaming agent, the foaming agent (D) being a combination of at least one carbonate compound selected from carbonate, bicarbonate, and a double salt of bicarbonate and carbonate, and an acid other than malic acid.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a tablet-shaped cleanser for oral instruments that can easily remove slime from oral instruments and that suppresses sticking during tableting. [Background technology]

[0002] Dentures and other oral appliances are prone to the accumulation of bacteria, biofilms, and other deposits, and if left uncleaned, this can not only cause bad breath but can also contribute to the development of oral diseases such as periodontal disease. Therefore, cleaning oral appliances and keeping them clean is essential as part of oral care. Because bacteria and dirt adhering to oral appliances cannot be sufficiently removed by brushing, cleaning with a detergent is important.

[0003] Cleaning of intraoral appliances with a detergent is generally performed by adding the detergent to water to prepare cleaning water, and then immersing the intraoral appliances in the water. Conventionally, intraoral appliance cleaners have been formulated with surfactants and foaming agents (carbonate compounds and acids), and are designed to enhance cleaning effectiveness by exerting chemical cleaning power through surface activation and physical cleaning power through foaming action when added to water. However, biofilms and other substances attached to intraoral appliances cannot be sufficiently removed by the action of surfactants and foaming agents, and therefore remain on the intraoral appliances even after cleaning with an intraoral appliance cleaner, causing slime.

[0004] Conventionally, an intraoral appliance cleanser containing a bleaching agent has been used to remove biofilms adhering to intraoral appliances.

[0005] It is also known that adding enzymes such as protease, cellulase, β1,3-glucanase, lipase, and mutanase to a denture cleanser can impart an effect of removing biofilms attached to dentures (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 to 4). Patent Document 5 describes that a denture cleanser liquid composition containing (A) a polyoxyethylene alkyl ether having an average number of ethylene oxide added of 10 to 20 and an alkyl group having 12 to 20 carbon atoms, (B) a protease, and (C) a cationic disinfectant, exhibits excellent removal and disinfecting properties against denture biofilms. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 63-101313 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 58-134014 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 57-142910 [Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 51-38415 [Patent Document 5] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-179615 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] However, even oral instrument cleansers containing bleach or enzymes are not effective in removing biofilms, and have not been able to fully remove slime from oral instruments caused by biofilms, etc. Thus, oral instrument cleansers containing bleach or enzymes have limitations in their effectiveness in removing slime from oral instruments. Furthermore, from the perspective of expanding the variety of oral instrument cleansers, there has been a demand for the development of new formulation technologies that can easily remove slime from oral instruments.

[0008] The present inventors have investigated new formulation technologies for removing slime from intraoral appliances and have unexpectedly found that by incorporating a combination of isopropylmethylphenol and menthol into an intraoral appliance cleanser, slime from intraoral appliances can be easily removed.

[0009] However, when isopropylmethylphenol and menthol are combined in an oral instrument cleanser, a new problem arises: the bonding strength between the ingredients in the tablets decreases during tableting, making them more susceptible to sticking (a phenomenon in which part of the raw materials adheres to the punch or die, causing part of the tablet to peel off).

[0010] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a tablet-shaped oral instrument cleanser that contains isopropylmethylphenol and menthol and yet suppresses the occurrence of sticking during tableting. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] The present inventors have conducted extensive research to solve the above-mentioned problems and have unexpectedly found that by further blending at least one member selected from the group consisting of malic acid and its salts with an oral instrument cleanser containing isopropylmethylphenol and menthol, the occurrence of sticking during tableting can be suppressed. The present disclosure has been completed based on this finding and through further research.

[0012] That is, the present disclosure provides the inventions of the following aspects. Item 1. A composition comprising (A) isopropylmethylphenol, (B) menthol, (C) at least one selected from the group consisting of malic acid and salts thereof, and (D) a foaming agent; The tablet-shaped oral instrument cleanser, wherein the foaming agent (D) is a combination of at least one carbonate compound selected from the group consisting of carbonates, bicarbonates, and double salts of bicarbonates and carbonates, and an acid other than malic acid. Item 2. The tablet-shaped cleanser for oral instruments according to Item 1, wherein the content of the component (C) is 0.1 to 12% by weight. Item 3. The tablet-shaped intraoral instrument cleanser according to Item 1 or 2, wherein the intraoral instrument cleanser is a denture cleanser. Item 4. A method for producing a tablet-form oral instrument cleanser, comprising subjecting a raw material mixture containing (A) isopropylmethylphenol, (B) menthol, (C) at least one selected from the group consisting of malic acid and salts thereof, and (D) a foaming agent, wherein the foaming agent (D) is a combination of at least one carbonate compound selected from the group consisting of carbonates, bicarbonates, and double salts of bicarbonates and carbonates, and an acid other than malic acid, to a tableting step. Item 5. Use of a composition for cleaning an intraoral appliance, the composition comprising: (A) isopropylmethylphenol; (B) menthol; (C) at least one compound selected from the group consisting of malic acid and its salts; and (D) a foaming agent, wherein the foaming agent (D) is a combination of at least one carbonate compound selected from the group consisting of carbonates, bicarbonates, and double salts of bicarbonates and carbonates, and an acid other than malic acid. Item 6. Use of a composition comprising (A) isopropylmethylphenol, (B) menthol, (C) at least one compound selected from the group consisting of malic acid and its salts, and (D) a foaming agent, wherein the foaming agent (D) is a combination of at least one carbonate compound selected from the group consisting of carbonates, bicarbonates, and double salts of bicarbonates and carbonates, and an acid other than malic acid, as a tablet-shaped intraoral instrument cleanser. Item 7. A method for cleaning an intraoral instrument, comprising immersing an intraoral instrument in water containing a tablet-shaped intraoral instrument cleanser comprising: (A) isopropylmethylphenol; (B) menthol; (C) at least one compound selected from the group consisting of malic acid and its salts; and (D) a foaming agent, wherein the foaming agent (D) is a combination of at least one carbonate compound selected from the group consisting of carbonates, bicarbonates, and double salts of bicarbonates and carbonates, and an acid other than malic acid. Item 8. Use of a composition for producing a tablet-form oral instrument cleanser, the composition comprising: (A) isopropylmethylphenol; (B) menthol; (C) at least one compound selected from the group consisting of malic acid and salts thereof; and (D) a foaming agent, wherein the foaming agent (D) is a combination of at least one carbonate compound selected from the group consisting of carbonates, bicarbonates, and double salts of bicarbonates and carbonates, and an acid other than malic acid. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] The tablet-shaped intraoral instrument cleanser of the present disclosure contains a combination of isopropylmethylphenol and menthol, thereby easily peeling off and removing slime from intraoral instruments. Cleaning an intraoral instrument using the tablet-shaped intraoral instrument cleanser of the present disclosure can reduce discomfort caused by slime on the intraoral instrument when manually reinserting the cleaned intraoral instrument and after reinserting it into the oral cavity. Furthermore, the tablet-shaped intraoral instrument cleanser of the present disclosure can easily remove slime from an intraoral instrument, thereby advantageously expanding the variety of intraoral instrument cleansers that have the effect of removing slime from an intraoral instrument. Furthermore, the method for producing the tablet-shaped intraoral instrument cleanser of the present disclosure uses a raw material mixture that contains isopropylmethylphenol and menthol, but also at least one selected from the group consisting of malic acid and its salts. This prevents sticking during tableting and reduces production losses in the tableting process, thereby achieving high production efficiency in industrial production. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] In this specification, the notation X to Y regarding a numerical range means that the range is from X to Y.

[0015] In this specification, the term "oral appliance" refers to a dental appliance that must be worn and removed in the oral cavity, such as a complete denture, a partial denture, an orthodontic appliance, a retainer, and a mouthpiece.

[0016] 1. Tablet-type oral appliance cleaner The tablet-form intraoral instrument cleanser of the present disclosure (hereinafter simply referred to as "intraoral instrument cleanser") comprises (A) isopropylmethylphenol (hereinafter sometimes referred to as component (A)), (B) menthol (hereinafter sometimes referred to as component (B)), (C) at least one compound selected from the group consisting of malic acid and its salts (hereinafter sometimes referred to as component (C)), and (D) a foaming agent (hereinafter sometimes referred to as component (D)), wherein the foaming agent (D) is a combination of at least one carbonate compound selected from the group consisting of carbonates, bicarbonates, and double salts of bicarbonates and carbonates, and an acid other than malic acid. The intraoral instrument cleanser of the present disclosure will be described in detail below.

[0017] [(A) Isopropylmethylphenol] The intraoral instrument cleanser of the present disclosure contains isopropylmethylphenol as component (A). In the intraoral instrument cleanser of the present disclosure, component (A) is a component that, when combined with component (B), facilitates (makes removal easier) of slime from intraoral instruments. Furthermore, by incorporating component (A) into the intraoral instrument cleanser, antibacterial and bactericidal effects can be imparted to the intraoral instrument cleanser. As used herein, "isopropylmethylphenol" refers to "4-isopropyl-3-methylphenol." The intraoral instrument cleanser of the present disclosure may further contain a structural isomer of isopropylmethylphenol, such as thymol and carvacrol.

[0018] In the intraoral instrument cleanser of the present disclosure, the content of component (A) may be appropriately set within a range that provides the desired slime removal effect, for example, 0.001 to 10% by weight, and from the viewpoint of easily and effectively removing slime from intraoral instruments, the content is preferably 0.01 to 5% by weight, more preferably 0.03 to 1% by weight, and even more preferably 0.05 to 0.5% by weight.

[0019] [(B) Menthol] The intraoral instrument cleanser of the present disclosure contains menthol as component (B). In the intraoral instrument cleanser of the present disclosure, component (B) is a component that, when combined with component (A), easily removes (makes removal easier) slime from intraoral instruments. Furthermore, by including menthol in the intraoral instrument cleanser, a refreshing feeling can be imparted to the wearer's mouth when wearing the cleaned intraoral instrument, allowing the wearer to experience the cleaning effect.

[0020] As menthol, any of d-, l-, and dl-isomers may be used, but l-menthol is preferred from the viewpoint of easily and effectively removing slime from intraoral appliances.Menthol can also be used in the form of essential oil.The essential oil containing menthol is not particularly limited, but examples thereof include spearmint oil, peppermint oil, peppermint oil, and peppermint white oil.The menthol and essential oils exemplified above may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0021] In the intraoral instrument cleanser of the present disclosure, the content of component (B) (when essential oil is used, the content converted to the amount of menthol) may be appropriately set within a range that provides the desired slime removal effect, and is, for example, 0.001 to 10% by weight, and from the viewpoint of easily and effectively removing slime from intraoral instruments, is preferably 0.01 to 5% by weight, more preferably 0.03 to 1% by weight, and even more preferably 0.05 to 0.5% by weight.

[0022] In the intraoral instrument cleanser of the present disclosure, the content ratio of component (B) to component (A) is not particularly limited, and the content of component (B) per 100 parts by weight of component (A) is, for example, 10 to 1000 parts by weight.From the viewpoint of easily and effectively removing slime from intraoral instruments, the content is preferably 50 to 500 parts by weight, more preferably 70 to 300 parts by weight, and even more preferably 80 to 200 parts by weight.

[0023] [(C) Malic acid and its salts] The intraoral instrument cleanser of the present disclosure contains, as component (C), at least one selected from the group consisting of malic acid and its salts. Examples of the salt include alkali metal salts such as sodium salts and potassium salts, and ammonium salts. While intraoral instrument cleansers containing components (A) and (B) have the drawback of being prone to sticking during tableting, the intraoral instrument cleanser of the present disclosure overcomes this drawback by including component (C), thereby suppressing sticking during tableting. Furthermore, component (C) is a constituent of foaming agent (D), which reacts with the carbonate compound to generate carbon dioxide gas during cleaning of intraoral instruments.

[0024] In the intraoral instrument cleanser of the present disclosure, the content of component (C) may be appropriately set within a range that can suppress the occurrence of sticking during tableting, and is, for example, 0.1 to 12% by weight. From the viewpoint of more effectively suppressing the occurrence of sticking during tableting, the content is preferably 0.1 to 10% by weight, more preferably 0.1 to 9% by weight, even more preferably 0.1 to 7% by weight, still more preferably 0.1 to 5% by weight, even more preferably 0.1 to 3% by weight, and particularly preferably 0.1 to 2% by weight.

[0025] In the oral instrument cleanser of the present disclosure, the content ratio of component (C) to component (A) is not particularly limited, and the content of component (C) per 1 part by weight of component (A) is, for example, 0.1 to 300 parts by weight. From the viewpoint of more effectively suppressing the occurrence of sticking during tableting, the content is preferably 0.5 to 200 parts by weight, more preferably 1 to 100 parts by weight, even more preferably 1 to 50 parts by weight, still more preferably 3 to 40 parts by weight, and particularly preferably 5 to 30 parts by weight.

[0026] In the oral instrument cleanser of the present disclosure, the content ratio of component (C) to component (B) is not particularly limited, and the content of component (C) per 1 part by weight of component (B) is, for example, 0.1 to 300 parts by weight. From the viewpoint of more effectively suppressing the occurrence of sticking during tableting, the content is preferably 0.5 to 200 parts by weight, more preferably 1 to 100 parts by weight, even more preferably 1 to 50 parts by weight, still more preferably 3 to 40 parts by weight, and particularly preferably 5 to 30 parts by weight.

[0027] [(D) Foaming agent] The intraoral instrument cleanser of the present disclosure contains, as component (D), a foaming agent that combines at least one carbonate compound selected from the group consisting of carbonates, bicarbonates, and double salts of bicarbonates and carbonates with an acid other than malic acid. By containing foaming agent (D), the intraoral instrument cleanser of the present disclosure can generate carbon dioxide bubbles in the rinse water, and the foaming action exerts physical cleansing power, making it possible to more easily and effectively remove slime from intraoral instruments.

[0028] The carbonate salt is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include alkali metal salts of carbonate such as sodium carbonate and potassium carbonate. The bicarbonate salt is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include alkali metal salts of bicarbonate such as sodium bicarbonate and potassium bicarbonate. The double salt of carbonate and bicarbonate is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include sodium sesquicarbonate. The carbonate compounds may be used alone or in combination of two or more. Furthermore, the acid other than malic acid is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include organic acids such as citric acid, tartaric acid, fumaric acid, maleic acid, gluconic acid, succinic acid, and salicylic acid; and inorganic acids such as phosphoric acid and sulfamic acid. The acids may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0029] The carbonate compound constituting the foaming agent is preferably an alkali metal bicarbonate or an alkali metal carbonate, more preferably sodium bicarbonate or sodium carbonate, and the acid constituting the foaming agent is preferably an organic acid, more preferably citric acid.

[0030] In the foaming agent, the ratio of the carbonate compound to the acid is not particularly limited as long as the two can react in water to generate carbon dioxide, but the content of the acid (including malic acid) per 100 parts by weight of the carbonate compound is, for example, 10 to 200 parts by weight, preferably 15 to 150 parts by weight, and more preferably 20 to 100 parts by weight.

[0031] In the intraoral instrument cleanser of the present disclosure, the content of foaming agent (total amount of carbonate compound and acid (including malic acid)) is not particularly limited as long as sufficient carbon dioxide bubbles can be generated when cleaning intraoral instruments, but can be, for example, 10 to 75 wt %, preferably 20 to 70 wt %, and more preferably 30 to 65 wt %.

[0032] [Other ingredients] In addition to the components described above, the oral instrument cleanser of the present disclosure may contain other components as needed, to the extent that the effects of the present disclosure are not impaired.

[0033] (bleach) The intraoral instrument cleanser of the present disclosure preferably contains a bleaching agent, which can improve cleaning power and more effectively remove slime from intraoral instruments.

[0034] The type of bleaching agent used in the intraoral instrument cleanser of the present disclosure is not particularly limited as long as it is non-toxic and physiologically acceptable, and a wide range of bleaching agents commonly used in intraoral instrument cleansers can be used.

[0035] Bleaching agents include, for example, oxygen bleaching agents such as monopersulfates, perborates, percarbonates, and persulfates.

[0036] Specific examples of monopersulfates include alkali metal salts of monopersulfate such as sodium monopersulfate and potassium monopersulfate (e.g., bis(peroxymonosulfate)-bis(sulfate)-pentapotassium), ammonium monopersulfate, and hydrates thereof. Specific examples of perborates include alkali metal salts of perboric acid such as sodium perborate and potassium perborate, ammonium perborate, and hydrates thereof. Specific examples of percarbonates include alkali metal salts of percarbonate such as sodium percarbonate and potassium percarbonate, ammonium percarbonate, and hydrates thereof. Specific examples of persulfates include alkali metal salts of persulfate such as sodium persulfate and potassium persulfate, ammonium persulfate, and hydrates thereof. The bleaching agents exemplified above may be used alone or in combination of two or more. Among the bleaching agents exemplified above, preferred are monopersulfate, perborate, and percarbonate, more preferred are alkali metal monopersulfate, alkali metal perborate, and alkali metal percarbonate, and even more preferred are potassium monopersulfate, sodium perborate, and sodium percarbonate.

[0037] In the intraoral instrument cleanser of the present disclosure, the content of the bleaching agent may be appropriately set within a range that can exert the desired bleaching effect, and may be, for example, 1 to 40% by weight, preferably 5 to 35% by weight, and more preferably 10 to 30% by weight.

[0038] (bleach activator) When the intraoral instrument cleaner of the present disclosure contains an oxygen bleaching agent, it may also contain a bleaching activator. The bleaching activator is HO2 generated from the oxygen bleaching agent in water. - It reacts with the bleaching agent to generate organic peracids with a stronger bleaching effect.

[0039] The bleach activator may be any known bleach activator without any particular limitation, and examples thereof include tetraacetylethylenediamine; alkanoyloxybenzenesulfonic acids or salts thereof having an alkanoyl group containing 1 to 18 carbon atoms, preferably 8 to 12 carbon atoms; and alkanoyloxybenzoic acids or salts thereof having an alkanoyl group containing 1 to 18 carbon atoms, preferably 8 to 12 carbon atoms. Examples of the salts include alkali metal salts and ammonium salts. The bleach activators exemplified above may be used alone or in combination of two or more. Of the bleach activators exemplified above, tetraacetylethylenediamine is preferred from the viewpoint of excellent efficiency in generating organic peracids.

[0040] In the intraoral instrument cleanser of the present disclosure, the content of the bleaching activator may be adjusted appropriately depending on the content of the oxygen bleach, and may be, for example, 0.01 to 5 wt %, preferably 0.1 to 3 wt %, and more preferably 0.5 to 2 wt %.

[0041] (surfactant) The intraoral instrument cleanser of the present disclosure may contain a surfactant. The surfactant serves as a component that exerts a chemical cleaning action, etc.

[0042] The type of surfactant to be incorporated into the intraoral instrument cleanser of the present disclosure is not particularly limited as long as it is usable as a component of a cleanser, and any of anionic surfactants, cationic surfactants, nonionic surfactants, and amphoteric surfactants may be used. Among these surfactants, anionic surfactants are preferred.

[0043] Examples of anionic surfactants include α-olefin sulfonates, alkyl sulfates, alkylbenzene sulfonates, alkyl sulfoacetates, and alkanesulfonates. Examples of salt forms of anionic surfactants include alkali metal salts such as sodium and potassium, alkaline earth metal salts such as magnesium and calcium, ammonium salts, amine salts, and acid addition salts such as hydrochlorides. Among anionic surfactants, preferred are α-olefin sulfonates and alkyl sulfates, and more preferred are sodium α-olefin sulfonate and sodium lauryl sulfate.

[0044] In the intraoral instrument cleanser of the present disclosure, one type of surfactant may be blended alone, or two or more types of surfactants may be blended in combination.

[0045] In the cleanser for intraoral instruments of the present disclosure, the content of surfactant is not particularly limited as long as it can exert a foaming effect when cleaning intraoral instruments, and may be set appropriately depending on the type of surfactant used, the cleaning power to be provided, etc., but examples include a total amount of surfactant of 0.1 to 10 wt %, preferably 0.5 to 7 wt %, and more preferably 1 to 5 wt %.

[0046] (sugar alcohol) The oral instrument cleanser of the present disclosure may contain a sugar alcohol, which is a component that functions as a binder.

[0047] The type of sugar alcohol is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, erythritol, etc. The sugar alcohols listed above may be used alone or in combination of two or more. Among the sugar alcohols listed above, sorbitol is preferred.

[0048] In the intraoral instrument cleanser of the present disclosure, the sugar alcohol content is, for example, 1 to 30 wt %, preferably 3 to 20 wt %, more preferably 4 to 15 wt %, based on the total amount of sugar alcohol.

[0049] (Polyalkylene glycol) The oral instrument cleanser of the present disclosure may contain polyalkylene glycol, which is a component that functions as a binder.

[0050] Specific examples of polyalkylene glycols include polyethylene glycol, polypropylene glycol, and polybutylene glycol.

[0051] The polyalkylene glycol may be used alone or in combination of two or more. Among the polyalkylene glycols exemplified above, polyethylene glycol is preferred.

[0052] In the intraoral instrument cleanser of the present disclosure, the content of polyalkylene glycol is, for example, 0.1 to 5 wt %, preferably 0.5 to 2 wt %, and more preferably 0.5 to 1.5 wt %.

[0053] (lubricant) The oral instrument cleanser of the present disclosure may contain a lubricant to facilitate the process of molding into tablets.

[0054] The type of lubricant is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include magnesium stearate, calcium stearate, sodium stearyl fumarate, sucrose fatty acid esters, sodium lauryl sulfate, talc, light anhydrous silicic acid, and hydrous silicon dioxide.

[0055] The lubricant may be used alone or in combination of two or more. Among the lubricants exemplified above, magnesium stearate is preferred.

[0056] In the intraoral instrument cleanser of the present disclosure, the content of the lubricant is, for example, 0.01 to 1 wt %, preferably 0.015 to 0.5 wt %, and more preferably 0.02 to 0.3 wt %.

[0057] Furthermore, other additives that can be blended into the intraoral instrument cleanser of the present disclosure include, for example, base materials (sodium sulfate, etc.), flavorings (other than menthol), flavoring impregnating agents, enzymes (proteases, etc.), colorants, magnesium oxide, deodorants, anti-tartar agents, anti-rust agents, chelating agents, pH adjusters, sweeteners, cooling agents (other than menthol), foam stabilizers, preservatives, antibacterial agents (other than isopropylmethylphenol), bactericides (other than isopropylmethylphenol), antiseptics, bulking agents, excipients, disintegrants, and fluidizing agents. The other components exemplified above may be blended singly or in any combination of two or more.

[0058] 2. Formulation and manufacturing method of oral instrument cleaner The tablet-shaped intraoral instrument cleanser of the present disclosure is obtained by tableting a raw material mixture containing the components (A) to (D). Tablet formulation can be performed by a commonly used tableting method. For example, a raw material mixture containing the components (A) to (D) and other additives, if necessary, may be subjected to a tableting process. Furthermore, in the method for producing an intraoral instrument cleanser of the present disclosure, the raw material mixture contains component (C) in addition to components (A) and (B). This prevents sticking during tableting, thereby reducing production loss in the tableting process and achieving high production efficiency in industrial production. Furthermore, the mixture may be granulated into granules as needed prior to the tableting process.

[0059] Furthermore, in the tablet-form intraoral instrument cleanser of the present disclosure, the weight per tablet is not particularly limited and may be appropriately set based on ease of use, but it is desirable to set the weight per tablet to the amount required for one intraoral instrument cleansing. Specifically, the weight per tablet of the tablet-form intraoral instrument cleanser of the present disclosure is 1 to 4 g, preferably 2 to 3 g.

[0060] 3. Uses of oral appliance cleaners The tablet-shaped intraoral instrument cleanser of the present disclosure is used as a cleaner for various intraoral instruments, and is particularly suitable for use as a denture cleanser.

[0061] 4. How to use the oral appliance cleaner The tablet-form intraoral instrument cleanser of the present disclosure is added to water, heated if necessary, and the intraoral instrument (preferably a denture) to be cleaned is placed in the water. The tablet-form intraoral instrument cleanser of the present disclosure dissolves and foams, thereby cleaning the intraoral instrument. Furthermore, since the tablet-form intraoral instrument cleanser of the present disclosure contains component (A) and component (B), slime on the intraoral instrument can be easily removed by immersing the intraoral instrument in the cleaning solution. This reduces the discomfort caused by slime on the intraoral instrument when and after manually reinserting the intraoral instrument after cleaning.

[0062] The water used when cleaning an oral appliance using the tablet-shaped oral appliance cleanser of the present disclosure is not particularly limited, but examples include tap water, purified water, distilled water, and physiological saline.

[0063] When cleaning an oral appliance using the tablet-type oral appliance cleaner of the present disclosure, the oral appliance may be immersed in water and then the tablet-type oral appliance cleaner of the present disclosure added, or the oral appliance may be immersed in water after adding the tablet-type oral appliance cleaner of the present disclosure.

[0064] Furthermore, in cleaning intraoral instruments, the ratio of the tablet-form intraoral instrument cleaner of the present disclosure to water is appropriately set depending on the composition of the tablet-form intraoral instrument cleaner of the present disclosure, the degree of slime of the intraoral instruments to be cleaned, etc., but for example, the tablet-form intraoral instrument cleaner may be typically about 1 to 10 parts by weight, preferably about 1 to 5 parts by weight, per 100 parts by weight of water. More specifically, in one cleaning of intraoral instruments, 100 to 200 mL of water is prepared, and 1 to 20 g, preferably 1 to 10 g, more preferably 1 to 5 g of the tablet-form intraoral instrument cleaner of the present disclosure is added to this.

[0065] The temperature during cleaning of intraoral instruments may be about room temperature. The time for immersing intraoral instruments in the cleaning solution is usually 5 minutes to 24 hours, preferably 10 minutes to 12 hours, and more preferably 30 minutes to 8 hours.

[0066] Furthermore, while cleaning the intraoral appliances, it is not necessary to agitate the water to which the intraoral appliance cleanser has been added, but the water may be stirred as needed to more effectively remove slime from the intraoral appliances. Furthermore, the intraoral appliances may be scrubbed with a cleaning tool such as a brush to more effectively remove slime from the intraoral appliances. [Example]

[0067] The invention of the present disclosure will be explained in more detail below by showing examples, but the present disclosure is not limited to these examples.

[0068] Test Example 1 (Evaluation of Sticking) The ingredients shown in Tables 1 and 2 were mixed using a Lödige mixer (Matsubo Corporation, model number M20) to form a composition. The composition was then compressed into tablets at a compression force of 5 tonnes using a 20mm diameter die and a tableting machine (Kikusui Seisakusho Co., Ltd., rotary powder molding machine, model number CLEC1518SS7JZ) to prepare tablets weighing 2g each. Three sets of mortars and pestles were evenly spaced on the turntable of the tableting machine. After 100 tablets of the oral instrument cleanser were continuously compressed, the mortars and pestles were observed and the number of sets of mortars and pestles in which sticking occurred in either the mortar or the pestle was counted. The results are shown in Tables 1 and 2.

[0069] [Table 1]

[0070] [Table 2]

[0071] As shown in Tables 1 and 2, when malic acid was added to an intraoral instrument cleanser containing isopropylmethylphenol and l-menthol, sticking was effectively suppressed (Examples 1 to 19). On the other hand, when malic acid was not added to an intraoral instrument cleanser containing isopropylmethylphenol and l-menthol, sticking was observed (Comparative Examples 1 to 6).

[0072] Test Example 2 (Sliminess Removal Test) Tablet-shaped cleansers for oral instruments were prepared with the compositions shown in Table 3. Specifically, the compositions prepared by mixing the components shown in Table 3 were tableted at 40 MPa using a 20φ diameter mold and a tableting machine (SMP-3012SK, small electric hydraulic pump, manufactured by Rikenkiki Co., Ltd.), to prepare tablet-shaped cleansers for oral instruments weighing 2 g each.

[0073] The tablet-shaped intraoral instrument cleaners prepared in Examples 20 to 23, Comparative Examples 7 to 12, and Reference Examples 3 and 4 were subjected to a slime removal test by the following method.

[0074] <Sliminess removal test> (1) Creation of resin chips with biofilms attached Streptococcus mutans (NBRC13955) was inoculated into 5 ml of TSB (Tryptic Soy Broth) medium in a 15 ml tube and cultured at 35°C for 1-2 days. The resulting culture was then suspended in TSB medium to prepare a Streptococcus mutans suspension with an OD at 600 nm of 1.05-1.10. Separately, Candida albicans (NBRC1595) was inoculated into PDA (Potato Dextrose Agar) medium and cultured at 35°C for 1-2 days. After cultivation, the C. albicans was harvested and suspended in TSB medium to prepare a C. albicans suspension with an OD at 600 nm of 1.45-1.50. The obtained Streptococcus mutans suspension and Candida albicans suspension were mixed in a volume ratio of 1:1 to prepare a bacterial suspension.

[0075] Resin chips (20 mm x 20 mm, 1.5 mm thick, one-sided polished; made of polymethyl methacrylate resin) were sterilized by immersion in 100 ml of 200 ppm hypochlorous acid solution for 10 minutes and then thoroughly rinsing with water. One sterilized resin chip was placed in each well of a 6-well plate, and 4.95 ml of TBS (Tris-Buffered Saline) solution containing 5 wt% sucrose was added to each well. 50 μl of the bacterial suspension was then added, and the chips were cultured at 37°C for 24 hours to produce resin chips with attached biofilms.

[0076] After incubation, the culture medium was removed from each well, 6 ml of distilled water was added to each well, and the wells were pipetted 10 times before the water was removed. This procedure was repeated 2-3 times until the distilled water added to each well became clear, and resin chips with attached biofilms were obtained.

[0077] (2) Cleaning the resin tip 180 ml of purified water was placed in a 300 ml cup, which was then immersed in a thermostatic bath maintained at 40°C. Next, a resin chip with a biofilm attached thereto was immersed in each cup, and one tablet of each of the intraoral instrument cleaners prepared in Examples 5 to 10, Comparative Examples 7 to 12, and Reference Example 2 was placed in each cup. An intraoral instrument cleaning solution was prepared in each cup and allowed to stand. One hour after the intraoral instrument cleaner was placed in each cup, each resin chip was removed with tweezers and placed in a respective well of a 6-well plate filled with purified water. The resin chip was then slowly moved back and forth five times in the well to remove the cleaning agent adhering to the resin chip, and each washed resin chip was obtained.

[0078] (3) Evaluation of slime removal from resin chips after cleaning Five evaluators washed their index fingers with ethanol. Then, they gently rubbed the surface of the resin chip with the biofilm attached before cleaning in a circular motion with their index fingers. Based on the evaluation criteria shown in the figure below, the ease of removal of the slime was evaluated using a 9-point scale with increments of 1, with "1" representing "no slime" and "9" representing "does not come off even after repeated rubbing." All five evaluators gave a score of 9. Next, the ease of removal of the biofilm on the resin chip (reference sample) cleaned with the intraoral instrument cleanser prepared in Reference Example 2 was evaluated in the same manner as above, and the average of the five evaluations (average of the reference sample) was calculated. Thereafter, the ease of removal of the biofilm on the resin chip (evaluation sample) cleaned with each of the intraoral instrument cleansers prepared in Examples 20 to 23, Comparative Examples 7 to 12, and Reference Examples 3 and 4 was evaluated in the same manner as above, and the average of the five evaluations (average of the evaluation sample) was calculated. JPEG2025123074000003.jpg24138

[0079] The slime removability improvement score was then calculated using the following formula and evaluated according to the following criteria. The higher the slime removability improvement score, the easier the slime is to remove. The results are shown in Table 3. <expression> Slime removal improvement score = average value of reference sample - average value of evaluation sample <Evaluation criteria> A: Slime removal improvement score is 1.0 or more B: Slime removal improvement score is 0.5 or more to less than 1.0 C: Slime removal improvement score is 0.1 or more to less than 0.5 D: Slime removal improvement score is 0 or more to less than 0.1

[0080] [Table 3]

[0081] The results in Table 3 confirm that the intraoral instrument cleaners prepared in Examples 20 to 23 containing isopropylmethylphenol, l-menthol, and DL-malic acid, and the intraoral instrument cleaners prepared in Reference Examples 3 and 4 containing isopropylmethylphenol and l-menthol, have superior slime removal properties and can more easily remove slime than the intraoral instrument cleaners prepared in Comparative Examples 7 to 12 containing isopropylmethylphenol or l-menthol alone.

[0082] Furthermore, when the slime removal test was performed using ethylene vinyl acetate chips or copolymer polyester chips, which are materials for mouthpieces and retainers, instead of the resin chips, which are materials for dentures, the same results were obtained. That is, it was confirmed that the intraoral instrument cleansers prepared in Examples 20 to 23 were superior in slime removal ability and could remove slime more easily than the intraoral instrument cleansers prepared in Comparative Examples 7 to 12, even for mouthpiece and retainer materials.

[0083] Prescription example Tablet-shaped intraoral instrument cleaners having the compositions shown in Table 4 were prepared in the same manner as in Test Example 1, and sticking was evaluated. The results are shown in Table 4. The results in Table 4 confirm that the occurrence of sticking can be effectively suppressed when malic acid is added to an intraoral instrument cleaner containing isopropylmethylphenol and l-menthol.

[0084]

Table 4

Claims

1. (A) isopropylmethylphenol, (B) menthol, (C) at least one selected from the group consisting of malic acid and salts thereof, and (D) a foaming agent, The tablet-shaped intraoral instrument cleanser, wherein the foaming agent (D) is a combination of at least one carbonate compound selected from the group consisting of carbonates, bicarbonates, and double salts of bicarbonates and carbonates, and an acid other than malic acid.

2. 2. The tablet-shaped intraoral instrument cleanser according to claim 1, wherein the content of component (C) is 0.1 to 12% by weight.

3. 3. The tablet-shaped intraoral instrument cleaner according to claim 1, which is a denture cleaner.

4. A method for producing a tablet-form intraoral instrument cleanser, comprising subjecting a raw material mixture containing (A) isopropylmethylphenol, (B) menthol, (C) at least one compound selected from the group consisting of malic acid and salts thereof, and (D) a foaming agent, wherein the foaming agent (D) is a combination of at least one carbonate compound selected from the group consisting of carbonates, bicarbonates, and double salts of bicarbonates and carbonates, and an acid other than malic acid, to a tableting step.

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