Interdental cleaning tools

Abstract

This product provides an interdental cleaning tool that eliminates the need to have both dental floss and interdental brushes, and also allows for easy insertion of the interdental brush between teeth, even from the back (inside of the mouth). [Solution] The device comprises a floss 30 and a pick 22 for holding the floss 30 in a taut state, with an interdental brush 40 attached to one or both of the ends of the floss 30 in the longitudinal direction held by the pick 22.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an interdental cleaning tool for removing food residues and dental plaque between teeth.

Background Art

[0002] As an instrument for cleaning between teeth, so-called dental floss is well known. Dental floss can effectively clean between teeth that are difficult to reach with a toothbrush. For example, Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2018-68873) discloses a configuration in which a loop is attached to the tip of a pick that holds floss, and the object stuck between teeth can be moved at the tip and pulled out at the loop part.

[0003] In addition to dental floss, interdental brushes are also well known as instruments for cleaning between teeth. Interdental brushes are often used when the gap at the root between teeth is large, when the gums have receded, or when there is a bridge. For example, Patent Document 2 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2024-520133) discloses an interdental brush configured with brush filaments attached around a wire.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] Conventionally, those who want to clean between teeth have had to prepare both dental floss and interdental brushes, which has been a problem in terms of cost and other aspects. Another challenge with interdental brushes was that while they could be easily inserted between teeth from the front (outside of the mouth), it was difficult to insert them from the back (inside of the mouth). [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] Therefore, the present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and its objective is to provide an interdental cleaning tool that eliminates the need to prepare both dental floss and interdental brushes, and that allows the interdental brush to be easily inserted between teeth even from the back side (inside of the oral cavity).

[0007] The interdental cleaning tool according to the present invention comprises a floss and a pick for holding the floss in a taut state, and is characterized in that an interdental brush is attached to one or both of the ends of the floss in the longitudinal direction. By adopting this configuration, floss and interdental brushes can be integrated, improving user convenience. Furthermore, it becomes possible to insert the interdental brush from the back of the tooth while the floss is in place, allowing for more thorough cleaning. In addition, because the interdental brush is attached around the floss, it is not hard and does not cause pain during cleaning.

[0008] Furthermore, the interdental brush is attached to both ends of the floss in the longitudinal direction, and the portion where the interdental brush is not attached is formed in the center of the floss in the longitudinal direction. With this configuration, floss can be inserted between the teeth to clean the spaces, and then an interdental brush can be inserted between the teeth from either the outside or inside to further clean the spaces.

[0009] Furthermore, the interdental brush is characterized by being formed on the outer circumference of the floss. Unlike conventional interdental brushes, which have a brush attached around a wire, this design uses floss as the core of the interdental brush, allowing for painless cleaning between teeth.

[0010] Furthermore, the interdental brush is characterized in that it is formed integrally with a pick covering portion configured to cover the floss attachment portion of the pick. This configuration allows for a secure attachment of the interdental brush to the pick, preventing it from coming loose from the floss. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the present invention, it is not necessary to prepare both dental floss and interdental brushes, and the interdental cleaning tool can be made such that the interdental brush can be easily inserted between the teeth even from the back side (inside of the oral cavity). [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] This is a front view of an interdental cleaning tool. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view of an interdental cleaning tool. [Figure 3] This is a bottom view of an interdental cleaning tool. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0013] Hereinafter, embodiments of the interdental cleaning tool according to the present invention will be described in detail based on the drawings. Figure 1 is a front view of the interdental cleaning tool, Figure 2 is a perspective view of the interdental cleaning tool, and Figure 3 is a bottom view of the interdental cleaning tool. The interdental cleaning tool 20 comprises a pick 22, a floss 30 held by the pick 22, and an interdental brush 40 attached to the floss 30.

[0014] Floss 30 can be made from materials such as nylon, polyester, and polyethylene, but is not limited to any specific material. Furthermore, materials with antibacterial properties may also be used. Furthermore, to make it easier for the floss 30 to enter between teeth and to improve its glide, a wax (for example, beeswax, fluorine wax, silica wax, etc.) may be applied to the surface of the floss 30.

[0015] The pick 22 shown in this embodiment is of a so-called F-type, and has a substantially linear gripping portion 24 which is a portion gripped by the user, and a mounting portion 25 which faces the side surface direction of the gripping portion 24 on one side in the longitudinal direction of the gripping portion 24 and the tip thereof bifurcates into two branches and is generally U-shaped or semicircular. Note that the end portion on the other side in the longitudinal direction of the gripping portion 24 of the pick 22 is in a claw shape with a sharp tip, and this claw portion 26 can also be used as a toothpick. However, the shape of the pick 22 is not particularly limited to the above shape. Also, as the material of the pick 22, synthetic resins such as polystyrene and polypropylene can be used, but it is not particularly limited to any material.

[0016] The mounting portion 25 of the pick 22 has one bifurcated end portion 25a and the other end portion 25b, and the dental floss 30 is fixed in a stretched state between the one end portion 25a and the other end portion 25b. The dental floss 30 may be fixed by any method as long as it is fixed in a stretched state between the one end portion 25a and the other end portion 25b of the mounting portion 25 so as not to come off.

[0017] Interdental brushes 40 are mounted on the outer peripheries of both longitudinal ends of the dental floss 30 fixed to the mounting portion 25 of the pick 22. The interdental brushes 40 are formed of a material such as thermoplastic elastomer (TPE). Since thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) is rubbery at room temperature and becomes soft when heated, the interdental brushes 40 can be mounted on the outer periphery of the dental floss 30 by molding the thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) in a heated state on the outer periphery of the dental floss 30. However, the material of the interdental brushes 40 is not limited to thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), and any rubbery material may be used.

[0018] In this way, by attaching the interdental brush 40 to the outer circumference of the floss 30, the entire interdental brush 40 can be made softer compared to the conventional method of attaching the interdental brush 40 to a wire, and it can also be made so that it does not hurt when it comes into contact with the gums.

[0019] In this embodiment, the interdental brushes 40 are provided at both ends of the floss 30 in the longitudinal direction. Therefore, the floss 30 is exposed between the two interdental brushes 40. With this configuration, the floss 30 is inserted between the teeth to clean the interdental space, and then the floss 30 is moved along its longitudinal direction to allow the interdental brush 40 to be inserted between the teeth from either the outside or inside direction.

[0020] The interdental brush 40 is constructed by arranging multiple protrusions 41 along a circumference, and these multiple protrusions 41 arranged along the circumference are arranged in multiple rows at predetermined intervals along the longitudinal direction. In this embodiment, four rows of protrusions 41 are shown, but the number of rows is not limited to four. Furthermore, the interdental brush 40 is not limited to having multiple protrusions 41 arranged along the circumference and multiple rows arranged along the longitudinal direction. For example, multiple annular portions may be arranged along the longitudinal direction at predetermined intervals, or the brush shape may be other shapes.

[0021] Furthermore, the interdental brush 40 in this embodiment is integrally formed with the pick covering portion 43 that covers the ends 25a and 25b of the mounting portion 25 of the pick 22. That is, the pick covering portion 43 is also formed from the same material as the interdental brush 40, and the interdental brush 40 and the pick covering portion 43 are formed at the same time. The tips of the ends 25a and 25b of the mounting portion 25 of the pick 22 are rounded and roughly semicircular in shape, and the pick covering portion 43 covers the roughly semicircular portions of the ends 25a and 25b of the mounting portion 25 of the pick 22. Furthermore, the interdental brush 40 is formed to protrude from approximately the center of the height of the pick covering portion 43 in the length direction of the floss 30.

[0022] Although the shape of the pick in the embodiments described above was a so-called F-type, it may also be a so-called Y-type, in which the mounting portion 25 for attaching the floss 30 extends in the same direction as the longitudinal direction of the gripping portion 24.

[0023] Furthermore, in the embodiments described above, the interdental brush 40 was described as being provided on both sides of the floss 30 in the longitudinal direction, but the interdental brush 40 may be provided on at least one side of the floss 30 in the longitudinal direction.

[0024] Furthermore, although the embodiments described above have described a configuration in which the interdental brush 40 is formed on the outer circumference of the floss 30, it is also possible to have a configuration in which the floss 30 is stretched between the tips of two interdental brushes 40.

[0025] Furthermore, the interdental cleaning tool of this embodiment may be configured to be electrically operated. In this case, it is preferable to make the other end of the gripping portion 24 of the pick 22 shaped so that it can be connected to an electric device. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0026] 20 Interdental cleaning tools 22 picks 24 Gripping part 25 Mounting part 25a, 25b end 26. Claw-like areas 30 floss 40 Interdental brushes 41 Protrusion 43 Pick coating

Claims

1. Floss and, The device comprises a pick for holding the floss in a taut state, An interdental cleaning tool characterized in that an interdental brush is attached to one or both of the ends of the floss in the longitudinal direction.

2. The interdental cleaning tool according to claim 1, characterized in that the interdental brush is attached to both ends of the floss in the longitudinal direction, and the portion where the interdental brush is not attached is formed in the center of the floss in the longitudinal direction.

3. The interdental cleaning tool according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the interdental brush is formed on the outer circumference of the floss.

4. The aforementioned interdental brush is The interdental cleaning tool according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it is formed integrally with a pick covering portion configured to cover the floss attachment portion of the pick.

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