Oral Care Products

Abstract

To provide an oral care product in which an oral composition is filled in a container having an innermost layer formed of linear low-density polyethylene and having at least partially structure that allows ultraviolet light to pass through, the oral care product being able to effectively suppress the occurrence of unpleasant strange taste during use even when exposed to ultraviolet light.SOLUTION: There is provided an oral care product in which an oral composition (Y) is filled in a container (X) having an innermost layer formed of linear low-density polyethylene and having at least partially an area with an ultraviolet transmittance of 10% or more, the oral composition (Y) containing the following components (A) to (C): (A) 1 mass% or more and 6 mass% or less of one or two alcohols selected from ethanol (a1) and propylene glycol (a2); (B) menthol; and (C) a nonionic surfactant, and the mass ratio ((C) / (B)) of the content of the component (C) to the content of the component (B) being 1.5 or more and 15 or less.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an oral care product comprising a container filled with an oral composition. [Background technology]

[0002] Linear low-density polyethylene, which is known for its excellent flexibility and chemical resistance, is often used as a material for forming the innermost layer of containers for filling oral compositions, and various oral compositions filled in such containers have been developed.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a containerized dentifrice composition that contains an oily medicinal ingredient, triacylglycerol, a nonionic surfactant, water, and a flavoring ingredient in specific contents and mass ratios and is contained in a tube container with an innermost layer made of linear low-density polyethylene, in order to prevent the oily medicinal ingredient from adsorbing to the container and to impart a pleasant flavor. Patent Document 2 also discloses a tube container with an innermost layer made of linear low-density polyethylene filled with a dentifrice composition that contains isopropylmethylphenol, an anionic surfactant, a nonionic surfactant, and a fluorine compound, in an attempt to improve stability by suppressing the adsorption of isopropylmethylphenol to the container. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-231972 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-199473 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, the inventor has newly noticed that if a container having an innermost layer formed from linear low-density polyethylene has an area through which ultraviolet light can pass, exposure to ultraviolet light will cause the composition that is the filling to have an unpleasant taste when applied to the oral cavity.

[0005] Generally, containers for filling oral compositions as described in the above patent documents are designed to avoid unnecessary exposure to light so as to ensure good storage stability, weather resistance, etc. Therefore, these documents do not consider any problems that may occur due to exposure to ultraviolet light. However, the present inventors found that there was room for improvement in addressing these possible problems, leading to the invention of the present invention.

[0006] Therefore, the present invention relates to an oral care product comprising an oral composition filled in a container whose innermost layer is formed from linear low-density polyethylene and has a structure in at least a portion thereof that allows ultraviolet light to pass through, and which can effectively suppress the generation of unpleasant off-flavors during use even when exposed to ultraviolet light. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] Therefore, the inventors conducted extensive research to solve the above problems and discovered that by filling a container having an innermost layer made of linear low-density polyethylene and having a container with a high ultraviolet transmittance in some areas with an oral composition containing specific components in specific quantitative conditions, an oral care product can be obtained that can suppress the generation of unpleasant off-flavors even after exposure to ultraviolet rays.

[0008] That is, the present invention provides an oral care product comprising a container (X) having an innermost layer formed of linear low-density polyethylene and at least a region having an ultraviolet transmittance of 10% or more, and an oral composition (Y) filled in the container (X), The oral composition (Y) comprises the following components (A) to (C): (A) 1% by mass or more and 6% by mass or less of one or two alcohols selected from ethanol (a1) and propylene glycol (a2) (B) Menthol (C) Nonionic surfactant and the mass ratio of the content of component (C) to the content of component (B) ((C) / (B)) is 1.5 or more and 15 or less. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] The oral care product of the present invention is capable of effectively suppressing the occurrence of unpleasant off-flavors during use while maintaining good stability by suppressing the occurrence of precipitates and separation of contained components, even when the oral composition is filled in a container whose innermost layer is formed from linear low-density polyethylene and which has a region with high ultraviolet transmittance in part, and is exposed to ultraviolet light. Therefore, there is greater freedom to provide areas with high UV transmittance in the container without having to worry about the occurrence of such unpleasant off-flavors, and it is possible to improve the visibility of the oral composition that is the filling and the operability of the container, thereby improving the functionality of the oral care product. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The present invention will be described in detail below. The "off-flavor" that the oral composition may cause, which the present invention aims to suppress, includes not only an unpleasant flavor that is derived from the linear low-density polyethylene that forms the innermost layer of the container when exposed to ultraviolet light, but also an unpleasant flavor that is derived from the components contained in the oral composition.

[0011] The container (X) constituting the oral care product of the present invention has an innermost layer formed from linear low-density polyethylene (hereinafter also referred to as "LLDPE") and has an area with an ultraviolet transmittance of 10% or more in at least a part thereof. In other words, since the container (X) has at least a portion of an area with a high UV transmittance of 10% or more, the oral composition (Y), which is the filling material, is exposed to UV rays that pass through this area.

[0012] The container (X) constituting the oral care product of the present invention has at least a part of a region with an ultraviolet transmittance of 10% or more, and the ultraviolet transmittance in such region may be preferably 13% or more, preferably 18% or more, more preferably 20% or more. There is no particular upper limit, but it is usually 60% or less.

[0013] Furthermore, the proportion of the area having an ultraviolet transmittance of 10% or more relative to the entire area of ​​the container (X) may vary depending on the reason for providing such an area, but is preferably 1% or more of the container (X), and may be 3% or more, or 5% or more.

[0014] There are no particular limitations on the method for providing an area of ​​the container (X) with an ultraviolet transmittance of 10% or more. An area with an ultraviolet transmittance of 10% or more may be formed by using a different material only in that area, or a hole for providing that area may be drilled in the container (X) that has already been formed, and then the area with an ultraviolet transmittance of 10% or more may be formed, or the average ultraviolet transmittance of the entire container may be set to 10% or more. Furthermore, the container (X) may be composed of at least a main body for containing the oral composition (Y) and a stopper for sealing the container. In this case, the area of ​​the container (X) having an ultraviolet transmittance of 10% or more may be formed in a part of the main body, may be formed in a part of the stopper, or may be formed across both the main body and the stopper. There is no particular limitation on the reason for providing an area in the container (X) with an ultraviolet transmittance of 10% or more. For example, it may be from the viewpoint of improving processability, from the viewpoint of the aesthetics presented by the entire container (X), or from the viewpoint of making the oral composition (Y) more easily visible from the outside through such an area or improving the operability of the container (X).

[0015] Furthermore, the shape of the region having an ultraviolet transmittance of 10% or more is not particularly limited, and can be appropriately designed depending on the material forming such a region. For example, the region may be provided as an O-ring-shaped region at the portion of the spout connected to the main body, or may be provided as a band-shaped region like a window on the side of the main body so that the oral composition (Y) can be seen from the outside.

[0016] The container (X) may have a multilayer structure with an innermost layer made of linear low-density polyethylene, and an outermost layer and intermediate layers made of other materials. When the container (X) has a multilayer structure including an outermost layer and an intermediate layer in addition to the innermost layer, the materials forming these outermost and intermediate layers can be appropriately selected taking into consideration the storage stability, weather resistance, processability, etc. to be imparted to the container.

[0017] Specific examples of materials for forming such outermost layers and intermediate layers include polyesters (polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polycarbonate (PC), polyolefins such as low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and polypropylene (PP), ethylene-propylene copolymers (EP), ethylene-olefin copolymers, ethylene-acrylic acid copolymers (EAA), ethylene-methacrylic acid copolymers (EMAA), ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers (EVA), polyamides such as nylon-6 and nylon-66, polyacrylonitrile (PAN), polyimide (PI), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polyethersulfone (PES), unstretched polypropylene (CPP), and biaxially oriented nylon (ON). Alternatively, a material may be used in which aluminum, inorganic oxides such as aluminum oxide or silica are vapor-deposited onto a thin metal film such as aluminum, or a layer of polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC), ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH), or the like.

[0018] When laminating these layers to form a multilayer structure for the container (X), a conventional lamination method such as dry lamination using an adhesive or thermal lamination for bonding by heat can be used.

[0019] The container (X) may preferably further comprise a bottom surface portion and / or an upper surface portion as members for imparting self-supporting properties. Specific embodiments of the container (X) include, for example, a container (X) made up of a bottom, a main body, and a spout, in which the spout is connected to the side of the main body, or a container in which the spout is sandwiched between the front and back surfaces of the main body at the top end of the main body. Furthermore, when the container (X) is made up of a bottom, a main body, a top, and a spout, an embodiment includes a spout connected to the center of the top. The spout may be a component with a cap attached to the spout, as in refill containers or containers for replacing hard covers, or a component with a pump equipped with a discharge mechanism attached to the spout.

[0020] Specific examples of the container (X) include a pouch container, a gusset bag container, and a bottle container.

[0021] The oral composition (Y) constituting the oral care product of the present invention comprises the following components (A) to (C): (A) 1% by mass or more and 6% by mass or less of one or two alcohols selected from ethanol (a1) and propylene glycol (a2) (B) Menthol (C) Nonionic surfactant and the mass ratio of the content of component (C) to the content of component (B) ((C) / (B)) is 1.5 or more and 15 or less. Such an oral composition (Y) can be filled into a container (X) having an innermost layer formed of linear low-density polyethylene and at least a portion of which has a region with high ultraviolet transmittance, and can maintain good stability even when exposed to ultraviolet light, while effectively suppressing the occurrence of unpleasant off-flavors during use.

[0022] The oral composition (Y) contains, as component (A), one or two alcohols selected from ethanol (a1) and propylene glycol (a2) in an amount of 1% by mass to 6% by mass. By containing such component (A) in an extremely limited amount, in combination with components (B) and (C) described below, the generation of unpleasant off-flavors due to exposure to ultraviolet light can be effectively suppressed.

[0023] The component (A) may contain ethanol (a1) alone, propylene glycol (a2) alone, or both ethanol (a1) and propylene glycol (a2). Of these, from the viewpoint of effectively suppressing the generation of unpleasant off-flavors, it is preferable to contain ethanol (a1) alone or propylene glycol (a2) alone, and it is more preferable to contain ethanol (a1) alone.

[0024] From the viewpoint of effectively suppressing the generation of unpleasant off-tastes, the content of component (A) in the oral composition (Y) is 1% by mass or more, preferably 1.2% by mass or more, more preferably 1.5% by mass or more, and 6% by mass or less, preferably 5.5% by mass or less, and preferably 5% by mass or less. The total content of component (A) in the oral composition (Y) is 1% by mass or more and 6% by mass or less, preferably 1.2 to 5.5% by mass, and more preferably 1.5 to 5% by mass.

[0025] The oral composition (Y) contains menthol as component (B). The oral care product of the present invention can effectively suppress the generation of unpleasant off-tastes caused by exposure to ultraviolet light while maintaining good stability, and can express the good flavor derived from component (B). The content of component (B) in oral composition (Y) is preferably 0.01% by mass or more, more preferably 0.025% by mass or more, even more preferably 0.035% by mass or more, and preferably 0.3% by mass or less, more preferably 0.25% by mass or less, even more preferably 0.2% by mass or less, and even more preferably 0.13% by mass or less. The content of component (B) in oral composition (Y) is preferably 0.01 to 0.3% by mass, more preferably 0.025 to 0.25% by mass, even more preferably 0.035 to 0.2% by mass, and even more preferably 0.035 to 0.13% by mass.

[0026] In the oral composition (Y), from the viewpoints of effectively suppressing the generation of unpleasant off-flavors due to exposure to ultraviolet light and expressing a good flavor while maintaining good stability, the mass ratio of the content of component (A) to the content of component (B) ((A) / (B)) is preferably 3 or more, more preferably 6 or more, even more preferably 10 or more, still more preferably 25 or more, preferably 600 or less, more preferably 200 or less, still more preferably 115 or less, and still more preferably 75 or less. In addition, the mass ratio of the content of component (A) to the content of component (B) ((A) / (B)) is preferably 3 or more and 600 or less, more preferably 6 to 200, still more preferably 10 to 115, and still more preferably 25 to 75.

[0027] The oral composition (Y) contains a nonionic surfactant as component (C), which, in combination with component (B), effectively suppresses the generation of unpleasant off-flavors due to exposure to ultraviolet light while maintaining good stability.

[0028] Component (C) may be polyoxyethylene hydrogenated castor oil; glycerin fatty acid esters such as polyglyceryl myristate, polyglyceryl laurate, polyglyceryl stearate, and polyglyceryl oleate; sucrose fatty acid esters; polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid esters such as polyoxyethylene sorbitan monolaurate, polyoxyethylene sorbitan monostearate, and polyoxyethylene sorbitan monooleate; polyoxyethylene alkyl ethers such as polyoxyethylene lauryl ether, polyoxyethylene cetyl ether, monocetyl glyceryl ether, polyoxyethylene stearyl ether, and polyoxyethylene oleyl ether. ethers; polyoxyethylene derivatives such as polyoxyalkyl allyl ethers, polyoxyethylene distyrenated phenyl ethers, and polyoxyethylene lanolin; sorbitan fatty acid esters such as sorbitan monolaurate, sorbitan monooleate, sorbitan sesquioleate, and sorbitan monostearate; polyoxyethylene sorbitol fatty acid esters such as polyoxyethylene sorbit tetraoleate; polyethylene glycol fatty acid esters such as polyethylene glycol monolaurate and polyethylene glycol monooleate; and alkyl glyceryl ethers such as isostearyl glyceryl ether. Among these, from the viewpoint of effectively suppressing the generation of unpleasant off-flavors, component (C) is preferably one or more selected from polyoxyethylene hydrogenated castor oil, glycerin fatty acid ester, sucrose fatty acid ester, polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid ester, and polyoxyethylene alkyl ether, and more preferably one or more selected from polyoxyethylene hydrogenated castor oil, glycerin fatty acid ester, and polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid ester.

[0029] When polyoxyethylene hydrogenated castor oil is contained as component (C), the average number of moles of ethylene oxide added in the polyoxyethylene hydrogenated castor oil is preferably 40 or less, more preferably 15 to 40, and even more preferably 20 to 40.

[0030] In oral composition (Y), from the viewpoints of effectively suppressing the generation of unpleasant off-flavors due to exposure to ultraviolet light while maintaining good stability and expressing a good flavor derived from component (B), the mass ratio of the content of component (C) to the content of component (B) ((C) / (B)) is 1.5 or more, preferably 1.6 or more, more preferably 1.8 or more, even more preferably 2 or more, still more preferably 2.5 or more, and 15 or less, preferably 13 or less, more preferably 11 or less, and still more preferably 9 or less. In addition, the mass ratio of the content of component (C) to the content of component (B) ((C) / (B)) is 1.5 or more and 15 or less, preferably 1.6 to 13, more preferably 1.8 to 11, still more preferably 2 to 9, and still more preferably 2.5 to 9.

[0031] From the viewpoint of maintaining good stability, effectively suppressing the occurrence of unpleasant off-flavors due to exposure to ultraviolet rays, and expressing the good flavor derived from component (B), it is preferable that the oral composition (Y) further contains one or more polyhydric alcohols selected from sorbitol, xylitol, erythritol, reduced palatinose, mannitol, maltitol, and glycerin. The content of such polyhydric alcohol in the oral composition (Y) is preferably 1% by mass or more, more preferably 2% by mass or more, even more preferably 3% by mass or more, and preferably 40% by mass or less, more preferably 25% by mass or less, and even more preferably 10% by mass or less. The content of polyhydric alcohol in the oral composition (Y) is preferably 1 to 40% by mass, more preferably 2 to 25% by mass, and even more preferably 3 to 10% by mass.

[0032] In the oral composition (Y), from the viewpoints of effectively suppressing the generation of unpleasant off-tastes due to exposure to ultraviolet light while maintaining good stability and expressing a good flavor derived from component (B), the mass ratio of the content of one or more polyhydric alcohols selected from sorbitol, xylitol, erythritol, reduced palatinose, mannitol, maltitol, and glycerin to the content of component (B) (polyhydric alcohol / (B)) is preferably 10 or more, more preferably 20 or more, even more preferably 30 or more, and preferably 100 or less, more preferably 90 or less, and even more preferably 80 or less. In addition, the mass ratio of the content of polyhydric alcohol to the content of component (B) (polyhydric alcohol / (B)) is preferably 10 to 100, more preferably 20 to 90, and even more preferably 30 to 80.

[0033] The oral composition (Y) contains water. In the present invention, water refers to the total water contained in the oral composition (Y), including not only purified water or the like contained in the oral composition (Y) but also the water contained in each of the components contained therein. By containing such water, the components contained therein can be well dissolved or dispersed, and the desired effects can be fully exerted.

[0034] Specifically, when the oral composition (Y) is a liquid oral composition such as a mouthwash or liquid dentifrice, the content of water in the oral composition (Y) is preferably 50% by mass or more, more preferably 70% by mass or more, even more preferably 80% by mass or more, and preferably 99.7% by mass or less, more preferably 99.5% by mass or less, and even more preferably 99.4% by mass or less. When the oral composition (Y) is a liquid oral composition such as a mouthwash or liquid dentifrice, the content of water in the oral composition (Y) is preferably 50 to 99.8% by mass, more preferably 70 to 99.5% by mass, and even more preferably 80 to 99.4% by mass. Furthermore, when the oral composition (Y) is a dentifrice composition such as a toothpaste or a tooth powder, the content of water in the oral composition (Y) is preferably 5% by mass or more, more preferably 10% by mass or more, and preferably 60% by mass or less, more preferably 55% by mass or less. Also, when the oral composition (Y) is a dentifrice composition such as a toothpaste or a tooth powder, the content of water is preferably 5 to 60% by mass, more preferably 10 to 55% by mass.

[0035] When the oral composition (Y) is a dentifrice composition such as a toothpaste or a powder toothpaste, its water content can be calculated from the amount of water contained in the composition and the amount of water contained in the ingredients, but it can also be measured using a Karl Fischer moisture meter. For example, a trace moisture analyzer (manufactured by Hiranuma Sangyo Co., Ltd.) can be used as the Karl Fischer moisture meter. With this device, 5 g of the oral composition (Y) is suspended in 25 g of anhydrous methanol, and 0.02 g of this suspension is taken and the water content is measured.

[0036] The oral composition (Y) may further contain a flavor compound other than component (B) to the extent that the effects of the present invention are not impaired. Specific examples of such fragrance compounds include those described in "Perfume and Flavor Chemicals" edited by Steffen Arctander, Montclair, NJ (USA) (1969), "Synthetic Fragrances - Chemistry and Product Knowledge" edited by the Synthetic Fragrances Editorial Committee (The Chemical Daily, December 20, 2016, revised and expanded edition), and "Fundamentals of Fragrances and Fragrance Blending" edited by Nakajima Mototaka, Sangyo Tosho (first edition, 1995).

[0037] The oral composition (Y) may contain, as ingredients other than those mentioned above, one or more surfactants selected from anionic surfactants and amphoteric surfactants; fluorides; medicinal ingredients such as tocopherol acetate, glycyrrhetinic acid, and dipotassium glycyrrhizinate; antibacterial agents such as cetylpyridinium chloride; sweeteners such as saccharin sodium; colorants, etc., within the scope of not impairing the effects of the present invention.

[0038] The pH of the oral composition (Y) at 25°C is preferably 4.5 or higher, more preferably 5.0 or higher, even more preferably 6.0 or higher, and preferably 10.0 or lower, more preferably 8.0 or lower, even more preferably 7.5 or lower, from the viewpoint of maintaining good stability, effectively suppressing the generation of unpleasant off-tastes due to exposure to ultraviolet rays, and imparting a comfortable feel to the composition. [Example]

[0039] The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the following examples. Unless otherwise specified in the tables, the content of each component is expressed in mass %.

[0040] [Examples 1 to 11, Comparative Examples 1 to 9] Each oral composition was prepared according to the formulation shown in Tables 1 and 2. Next, the obtained oral compositions (pH 7) were filled into the following containers to obtain oral care products. The obtained oral care products were evaluated according to the following methods. The results are shown in Tables 1 and 2.

[0041] "container" The pouch container (innermost layer: LLDPE, middle layer: nylon / aluminum-deposited PET, outermost layer: PET) was used, which was composed of a bottom, a main body, a top, and a stopper. The stopper was connected to the center of the top of the container, and this connected area had an O-ring-shaped area with an ultraviolet transmittance of 15%.

[0042] <Stability evaluation> The appearance of the oral care composition of each obtained oral care product was visually observed and evaluated according to the following criteria. The lower the value, the higher the stability. 0: Transparent and uniform 1: Slightly cloudy, but uniform 2: Formation of precipitates or separation of contained components was confirmed

[0043] Evaluation of Off-taste Each oral care product was subjected to a 24-hour and 48-hour ultraviolet light irradiation test (illuminance 300-400 nm (60 W / m)) using an ultraviolet fade meter (ATLAS Ci4000, manufactured by Toyo Seiki Seisakusho Co., Ltd.). 2 ), temperature inside the cabinet (40°C), humidity (75%)). Next, 24 hours and 48 hours after the UV irradiation, 10 g of the oral composition was taken out from the oral care product and applied to the oral cavity by a specialist panelist for a sensory evaluation, and the results were scored according to the following criteria. The sensory evaluation was carried out by three expert panelists, and the total score obtained according to the following criteria was used as the index for the final evaluation of off-taste.

[0044] Sensory evaluation scoring 4: There was a distinct strange taste and it was quite unpleasant. 3: It tasted strange and was unpleasant 2: There was a slight strange taste and it was slightly unpleasant 1: A very slight strange taste was detected, but it was not unpleasant. 0: No strange taste was detected and it was comfortable Final evaluation of off-taste A: The total score is less than 3 points B: The total score is between 3 and 6 points C: The total score is between 6 and 9 points D: The total score is 9 or more points

[0045] [Table 1]

[0046] [Table 2]

Claims

1. An oral care product comprising a container (X) having an innermost layer formed of linear low-density polyethylene and at least a region having an ultraviolet transmittance of 10% or more, and an oral composition (Y) filled in the container (X), The oral composition (Y) comprises the following components (A) to (C): (A) Ethanol (a1) alone is present in an amount of 1% by mass or more and 5.5% by mass or less, or propylene glycol (a2) alone is present in an amount of 1% by mass or more and 5.5% by mass or less (B) Menthol (C) Nonionic surfactant and containing 3% by mass or more and 10% by mass or less of one or more polyhydric alcohols selected from sorbitol, xylitol, erythritol, reduced palatinose, mannitol, maltitol, and glycerin, and the mass ratio ((C) / (B)) of the content of component (C) to the content of component (B) is 1.5 or more and 15 or less.

2. 2. The oral care product according to claim 1, wherein component (C) is one or more selected from polyoxyethylene hydrogenated castor oil, glycerin fatty acid ester, sucrose fatty acid ester, polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid ester, and polyoxyethylene alkyl ether.

3. 3. The oral care product according to claim 1, wherein in the oral composition (Y), the mass ratio ((A) / (B)) of the content of component (A) to the content of component (B) is 3 or more and 600 or less.

4. 3. The oral care product according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the container (X) is composed of at least a main body and a spout, and an area having an ultraviolet transmittance of 10% or more is provided at the spout where it is connected to the main body.

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