Oral care set

Abstract

To provide an oral cavity care product that can effectively give a massage with a gentle touch, and allows a massage effect such as promotion of blood circulation in gums to be obtained effectively without inflicting pains or damaging gums.SOLUTION: An oral cavity care set includes a brush 10 for massaging and composition for an oral cavity. When a region inside a virtual annular line P formed by lining up outer edge parts of bristle planting holes 15a arranged in the outermost peripheral part is represented as a bristle planting region 19, and a surface area of a range within 1.5 mm from a bristle tip is represented as a surface area of the bristle tip in the brush 10 for massaging, the ratio of the sum total of the surface area of the bristle tip per unit area of the bristle planting region 19 is 2-100. In the composition for the oral cavity, the ratio of the storage elastic modulus at a strain of 0.01% to the storage elastic modulus at a strain of 1.0% is 0.5-5 in the measurement of dynamic viscoelasticity.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This invention relates to an oral care set. [Background technology]

[0002] Since massaging the gums can promote blood circulation in the gums, stimulate the oral cavity, and stimulate saliva secretion, various toothbrushing methods have been developed that involve brushing with a massage brush that has a function for massaging the gums. As an example of such a toothbrushing method, Patent Document 1 proposes a toothbrush that has both a plaque removal brush and a massage part for massaging the gums. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2000-186023 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0004] When brushing teeth with a massage brush, it is desirable that the method allows for a gentle massage while effectively applying pressure to the gums without damaging them. However, the tooth brushing method using a massage brush described in Patent Document 1 had room for improvement in terms of finely adjusting the amount of pressure applied to the gums. Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide an oral care product that enables effective massage with a gentle touch, thereby effectively obtaining massage effects such as promoting blood circulation in the gums without causing pain or damaging the gums. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] In order to solve the aforementioned problems, the inventors conducted diligent research and found that by combining a specific massage brush with a specific oral composition, it is possible to massage effectively with a gentle touch, thereby effectively obtaining massage effects such as promoting blood circulation in the gums without causing pain or damaging the gums. The present invention is based on the above findings and relates to an oral care set comprising a massage brush and an oral composition. In one embodiment, it is preferable that the massage brush comprises a brush body having a head portion, a gripping portion, and a neck portion connecting the head portion and the gripping portion. In one embodiment, it is preferable that bundles of hair, each consisting of multiple bristle strands, are implanted in the hair implantation holes formed in the head portion. In one embodiment, the massage brush has a bristle area where the area inside a virtual annular line formed by connecting the outer edges of the bristle holes located on the outermost periphery is defined as the bristle area, and the surface area of ​​the bristle tip is defined as the surface area of ​​the bristle tip within 1.5 mm from the bristle tip. In this embodiment, it is preferable that the ratio of the total surface area of ​​the bristle tip per unit area of ​​the bristle area is 2 or more and 100 or less. In one embodiment, it is preferable that the oral composition has a ratio of 0.5 or more and 5 or less between the storage modulus at a strain of 0.01% and the storage modulus at a strain of 1.0% in the measurement of dynamic viscoelasticity. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] According to the oral care set of the present invention, it is possible to massage the gums gently for an extended period of time, effectively promoting blood circulation in the gums without damaging them. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a schematic plan view of a massage brush according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a schematic side view of a massage brush according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] Fig. 3(a) is a schematic enlarged plan view of the tuft portion of the massage brush, Fig. 3(b) is a schematic enlarged longitudinal sectional view, and Fig. 3(c) is a schematic enlarged cross-sectional view. [Figure 4] Fig. 4(a) is a schematic enlarged plan view of the main part of the massage brush according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 4(b) is a schematic enlarged plan view of the main part of the massage brush of another embodiment. [Figure 5] Fig. 5 is an explanatory diagram of the part where the attached gingiva is located. [Figure 6] Fig. 6 is an explanatory diagram of the situation where the gingiva is massaged using the massage brush. [Figure 7] Fig. 7 is a schematic enlarged cross-sectional view of the tuft portion of the massage brush. [Figure 8] Fig. 8 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of an example of a rotational rheometer that can be used for measuring the dynamic viscoelasticity of the oral composition of the present invention. [Figure 9] Fig. 9 is a graph of the strain-elastic modulus curve measured for the oral composition sample 1. [Figure 10] Fig. 10 is a graph of the strain-elastic modulus curve measured for the oral composition sample 2. [Figure 11] Fig. 11 is a graph of the strain-elastic modulus curve measured for the oral composition sample 3. [Figure 12] Fig. 12 is a graph of the strain-elastic modulus curve measured for the oral composition sample 4. [Figure 13] Fig. 13 is a graph showing the time-series data of the force applied in the vertical direction to the head portion of the massage brush.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0008] Hereinafter, the oral care set of the present invention including the massage brush and the oral composition will be described based on its preferred embodiments with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 shows an embodiment of the massage brush according to the present invention.

[0009] The massage brush 10 of this embodiment is a gum massage brush that stimulates the area of ​​attached gingiva to promote blood circulation in the gums, and comprises a brush body 11 having a head portion 12, a gripping portion 13, and a neck portion 14 connecting the head portion 12 and the gripping portion 13. The head portion 12 constitutes the longitudinal tip portion of the brush body 11.

[0010] As shown in Figure 1, the massage brush 10 of this embodiment has a shape that is elongated in one direction when viewed from above. Hereinafter, the longitudinal direction of such massage brush 10 will be simply referred to as the "longitudinal direction X," and the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction X will be referred to as the "short direction Y." Furthermore, in this specification, "upward" refers to the vertically upward direction when the tips of the bristle of the massage brush 10 are pointed vertically upward and the head portion 12 is pointed vertically downward, and "downward" refers to the vertically downward direction in the said state. The thickness direction Z of the massage brush 10 is in the direction along the extension direction of the bristle and coincides with the vertical direction in the aforementioned state.

[0011] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the massage brush 10 is formed by implanting (planting) bristle bundles 16, each made up of multiple bristles 17, into bristle holes 15 formed in the head portion 12 of the brush body 11, which has a head portion 12, a gripping portion 13, and a neck portion 14 connecting them. In this embodiment, the massage brush 10 has bristle bundles 16 planted in each bristle hole 15. The multiple bristles 17 that make up each bristle bundle 16 are planted with a predetermined bristle length h and a predetermined height difference s. With this configuration, it is possible to effectively massage the attached gingiva portion of the gums (see Figure 5) (see Figure 6), and it has the function of effectively improving blood circulation in the gums. Attached gingiva is the part that is directly attached to the bone and, unlike free gingiva, is immobile.

[0012] Any method can be used to implant the hair bundles 16 into the head portion 12. For example, (1) a method in which the hair bundles 16 are folded in half with a flat wire and driven into the hair flocking holes 15 provided in the head portion 12; (2) a method in which one end of the hair bundle is heated to form a molten mass, and then molten resin is injected into a mold in which the molten mass is placed to form an injection-molded hair flocking base; (3) a method in which an insertion step of inserting the hair bundle into the hair flocking holes 15 of a hair flocking base, a heat processing step of heating one end of the hair bundle protruding from the hair flocking holes to form a molten mass, and a coating step of covering the molten mass are used to obtain a hair flocking base in which the hair bundles are implanted.

[0013] In this embodiment, a bundle of bristles 17, each forming a bristle bundle 16, is implanted into a bristle hole 15 provided in the head portion 12, thereby creating a protruding bristle bundle 16. The bristle hole 15 has a circular shape in plan view, for example, as shown in Figure 1. From the viewpoint of ensuring both hair implantation strength and usability, the diameter of the hair implantation holes 15 is preferably 2 mm to 5 mm, and more preferably 2.5 mm to 4.5 mm. The depth d of the hair implantation hole 15 is preferably 2.5 mm to 5.5 mm, and more preferably 3.0 mm to 5.0 mm, from the viewpoint of ensuring hair implantation strength and improving ease of insertion into the oral cavity.

[0014] The bristle 17 is preferably made of synthetic resin. The bristle length h of the bristle 17 is preferably 5 mm to 13 mm, more preferably 6 mm to 12 mm. As the constituent resin of the bristle 17, various known materials used for toothbrush bristles can be used without particular limitation, for example, polyamides such as nylon and nylon 6, polyesters such as polybutylene terephthalate, and polyolefins such as polypropylene. Polyester is preferred from the viewpoint of processing the tip portion of the bristle by immersing it in a heated caustic soda solution.

[0015] In this embodiment, the hair follicle holes 15 are circular in shape when viewed from above from the head portion 12. Furthermore, multiple hair follicle holes 15 are arranged on the head portion 12 at intervals from one another. More specifically, the hair follicle holes 15 are arranged in a staggered pattern on the head portion 12. When the bristle implantation holes 15 are arranged in a staggered pattern, it becomes possible to distribute the bristle implantation holes 15 with larger diameters more evenly, and the bristle bundles 16 implanted in them can also be distributed more evenly. Having such a configuration is preferable for ensuring that force is firmly transmitted to the gums. The bristle implantation holes 15, which are spaced apart from each other, preferably have a distance between them of 0.8 mm to 4.0 mm, and more preferably between 1.0 mm and 3.0 mm. When there are multiple hair follicle 15s, the total area of ​​the openings of the multiple hair follicle 15s included in the hair follicle area 19 is preferably 40% or more, more preferably 50% or more, as a percentage of the area of ​​the hair follicle area 19, from the viewpoint of enabling gentle massage, and preferably 70% or less, more preferably 60% or less, from the viewpoint of distributing the hair bundles so that force is firmly transmitted to the gums. To achieve a balance between these two viewpoints, it is preferably 40% to 70%, more preferably 50% to 60%.

[0016] <Method for measuring the area of ​​the hair transplant region 19> The area of ​​the bristle implantation region 19 was determined by using a massage brush 10 with the bristle 17 removed as a measurement sample. The bristle implantation surface 12a of this measurement sample was imaged, and an annular line P was set on this image using analysis software. The area within the annular line P was calculated, and the calculated area was defined as the area of ​​the bristle implantation region 19 (mm²). 2 ) can be made. In addition, the diameter and arrangement of the hair implantation pores 15 can be identified using a microscope, a drawing can be made using CAD (Computer Aided Design), an annular line P can be set on this drawing, the area within the annular line P can be calculated, and the calculated area can be used as the area of ​​the hair implantation region 19 (mm²). 2 ) is also acceptable.

[0017] The plan view shape and arrangement of the hair implantation holes 15 can be changed. For example, the hair implantation holes 15 shown in Figure 1 are circular in plan view, but the plan view shape of the hair implantation holes 15 can be any shape such as a circle, square, or pentagon. In this case, the hole diameter is the hole diameter when the cross-sectional area is converted to the area of ​​a circle. In this embodiment, the material of the brush body 11 can be formed using any commonly used synthetic resin without any particular limitations. For example, it is preferable to use one or more resins selected from polypropylene, polyacetal resin, polystyrene resin, polyethylene terephthalate resin, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene resin, cellulose propionate resin, polyarylate resin, polycarbonate resin, acrylonitrile styrene resin, polyester, polybutylene terephthalate, polytrimethylene terephthalate, and polycyclohexanedimethylene terephthalate. The brush body 11 can be formed, for example, by integrally molding the brush body 11, which consists of a head portion 12, a gripping portion 13, and a neck portion 14, using the above-mentioned resin. Alternatively, the gripping portion 13 and the neck portion 14 may be made detachable, or the gripping portion 13 may be equipped with an electric function to vibrate the head portion 12.

[0018] The thickness t of the head portion is preferably 3.0 mm to 6.0 mm, and more preferably 4.0 mm to 6.0 mm, from the viewpoint of ensuring good bristle implantation strength and ease of insertion into the oral cavity. From the viewpoint of improving access to the attached gingiva when massaging the gums, the length L in the X direction of the brush body 11 from the virtual connection base end with the neck portion 14 to the tip (see Figure 3(a)) is preferably 13 mm to 21 mm, and more preferably 15 mm to 19 mm. From the same viewpoint as above, the maximum width B in the Y direction of the brush body 11 (see Figure 3(a)) is preferably 13 mm to 21 mm, and more preferably 15 mm to 19 mm. The "virtual connection base end with the neck portion 14" referred to here refers to the position obtained by adding the distance w from the front edge of the bristle hole 15 located on the neck portion 14 side, which is the rearmost of the multiple bristle holes 15 provided in the head portion 12, to the distance w from the front edge of the bristle hole 15 located on the frontmost side to the tip of the head portion 12. From the viewpoint of improving bristle strength and ease of insertion into the oral cavity, the ratio (L / B) of the length L in the X direction of the brush body 11 to the maximum width B in the Y direction of the brush body 11 is preferably 0.5 or more and 2.2 or less, more preferably 0.8 or more and less than 2, even more preferably 0.9 or more and less than 1.5, and even more preferably 0.9 or more and less than 1.2.

[0019] In the massage brush 10, the area enclosed by a virtual annular line P formed by connecting the outer edges of the bristle holes 15a located on the outermost periphery is defined as the bristle area 19 (see Figure 4(a)). When the surface area of ​​the bristle tip is defined as the surface area M of the bristle tip, the bristle tip ratio (hereinafter referred to as "bristle tip ratio"), which is the sum of the surface areas M of the bristle tips per unit area of ​​the bristle area 19, is preferably 2 or more and 100 or less, and more preferably 5 or more and 80 or less. Here, "surface area M of the bristle tip" refers to the surface area of ​​the bristle 17 constituting the bristle bundle 16 within 1.5 mm below the tip, and "sum of surface areas M of the bristle tips" refers to the sum of the surface areas M of the bristle tips of all bristle 17 present in the bristle area 19. By keeping the proportion of bristles within the above range, even when the massage brush 10 is pressed against the gums, the contact pressure is dispersed, making it less likely to cause pain and resulting in a gentler feel against the gums. When used in combination with an oral composition, the effects of the present invention, such as reducing pain, are more easily achieved. The annular line P is preferably a line with the minimum length that surrounds all the implantation pores 15a. For example, when the implantation pores 15 are formed more densely than in this embodiment, the annular line P can be set as shown in FIG. 4(b).

[0020] From the viewpoint of facilitating satisfaction of the value of the tip ratio, the surface area M of the tip of each bristle 17 is preferably 0.05 mm 2 or more and 2.0 mm 2 or less, and more preferably 0.1 mm 2 or more and 1.5 mm 2 or less. From the same viewpoint as above, the total surface area M of the tips is preferably 200 mm 2 or more and 20000 mm 2 or less, and more preferably 500 mm 2 or more and 15000 mm 2 or less. From the viewpoint of being easy to move in the oral cavity and being able to massage a wide range, the area of the hair implantation region 19 is preferably 100 mm 2 or more and 250 mm 2 or less, and more preferably 130 mm 2 or more and 200 mm 2 or less.

[0021] <Method for Measuring Tip Ratio> The samples for measurement are 20 bristles cut out from any 20 locations of the massage brush 10. For each measurement sample, the surface area within a range of 1.5 mm from the tip is determined. For example, when the shape within a range of 1.5 mm from the tip is conical, it can be calculated by the following formula (1). The arithmetic mean value of the calculated values of the 20 samples is taken as the surface area M of the tip in this specification (rounded off to the fourth decimal place). Then, the number of bristles 17 in the massage brush 10 is counted, the area of the hair implantation region 19 is measured by the method described above, and the tip ratio is calculated by the following formula (2) and taken as the tip ratio in this specification. Formula (1) Surface area (mm 2) = 1 / 2 × length of slant height (mm) × circumference of base (mm) Equation (2) Hair tip ratio = Surface area M of the hair tip (mm 2 ) × Number of bristle 17 strands (strands) / Area of ​​hair transplantation area 19 (mm²) 2 )

[0022] As a result of various studies conducted by the inventors, it was found that in order for the oral care set of the present invention to enable the gentle, long-duration massage and effectively promote blood circulation in the gums without damaging them, it is beneficial to use a massage toothbrush having the aforementioned characteristics in combination with an oral composition having specific physical properties (viscoelastic properties). Furthermore, it was found that these physical properties can be evaluated using the storage modulus obtained by dynamic viscoelasticity measurement as a measure. Specifically, the oral composition is evaluated using the storage modulus (G') at a strain of 0.01%, obtained by dynamic viscoelasticity measurement. 0.01% ) and the storage modulus (G') at a strain of 1.0% 1% ) ratio (G' 0.01% / G' 1% We found that when the ratio (G') is preferably 0.5 to 5.0, more preferably 1 to 2, and used in combination with the massage brush 10 having the above-mentioned characteristics, structural damage to the oral composition is less likely to occur even when brushing teeth for a long period of time. Hereinafter, the ratio (G') 0.01% / G' 1% This is simply called the "G' ratio".

[0023] Figure 8 shows a schematic configuration of a rheometer 40, which is an example of a rotary rheometer that can be used to perform dynamic viscoelasticity measurements of the oral composition of the present invention. As shown in Figure 8, the rheometer 40 comprises a disc-shaped drive plate 42 provided at one end (lower end) of the drive shaft 41 and arranged on a plane perpendicular to the axis of the drive shaft 41, and a disc-shaped sensor plate 44 provided at one end (upper end) of the sensor shaft 43, which is on the same axis as the drive shaft 41, and arranged opposite and parallel to the drive plate 42. With the sample S placed in the clearance between the drive plate 42 and the sensor plate 44, the drive plate 42 is rotated to apply an external force or deformation to the sample S, and a physical quantity corresponding to the stress or deformation generated in the sample S is measured.

[0024] A drive device 45, such as the actuator body which is the drive source for the drive shaft 41, is connected to the other end (upper end) of the drive shaft 41 opposite to the side where the drive plate 42 is located. A drive control unit 46, such as an actuator driver, is electrically connected to the drive device 45, and the drive device 45 is driven by receiving drive control instruction signals from this drive control unit 46. Under the control of the drive control unit 46, the drive shaft 41 and the drive plate 42 can repeatedly rotate alternately in one direction and the other in their circumferential direction at a predetermined rotation frequency and predetermined amplitude value.

[0025] Furthermore, a sample mounting stage 48, which incorporates a torque sensor 47, is connected to the other end (lower end) of the sensor shaft 43 opposite to the side where the sensor plate 44 is positioned. The upper surface of the sensor plate 44, that is, the surface facing the drive plate 42, functions as a mounting surface for the sample S, which is the heat-generating composition to be measured. The sensor shaft 43 is configured to be extendable and retractable in its axial direction, and as the sensor shaft 43 extends and retracts, the sensor plate 44, which is fixed to one end thereof, can be moved detachably from the drive plate 42 positioned opposite it. A signal processing unit 49 is electrically connected to the torque sensor 47, and the torque sensor 47 measures a rotational torque signal (strain signal) corresponding to the stress or deformation generated in the sample S due to the rotation of the drive plate 42, and sends it to the signal processing unit 49.

[0026] When measuring a physical quantity corresponding to the stress or deformation of a sample S using a rheometer 40 with such a configuration, first, with a sufficiently large clearance between the drive plate 42 and the sensor plate 44 acting as a receiving plate, the sample S is placed on the upper surface of the sensor plate 44 (the surface facing the drive plate 42). Next, the sensor shaft 43 is extended to move the sensor plate 44 toward the drive plate 42, bringing the two plates 42 and 44 close together until their surfaces are in near-contact. In this way, the sample S is positioned in the clearance between the drive plate 42 and the sensor plate 44 (the gap between the part of the drive plate 42 closest to the sensor plate 44 and the part of the sensor plate 44 closest to the drive plate 42). It is preferable that the sample S be placed across the entire clearance between both plates 42 and 44. To achieve this, for example, an excess amount of sample S can be placed on the upper surface of the sensor plate 44, the sensor plate 44 can be moved toward the drive plate 42 to set a predetermined clearance, and then any excess sample S that extends beyond that clearance can be removed.

[0027] Then, with the sample S positioned in the clearance between the drive plate 42 and the sensor plate 44, the drive control unit 46 drives the drive device 45 to rotate the drive shaft 41 connected thereto alternately in one direction and the other around its axis within a predetermined range of rotational frequency and amplitude, thereby rotating the drive plate 42 in the same manner as the drive shaft 41. This applies an external force or deformation (bending deformation) to the sample S by causing it to rub against the drive plate 42. At this time, the vibration frequency and amplitude of the sample S are transmitted to the torque sensor 47 via the sensor plate 44 and the sensor shaft 43, and the torque sensor 47 sends this information about the sample S as a rotational torque signal to the signal processing unit 49. The signal processing unit 49 amplifies the rotational torque signal sent from the torque sensor 47 to the required level using an amplifier, and then converts it into one or more physical quantities corresponding to the stress or deformation occurring in the sample S, such as the storage modulus, the loss modulus, and the loss tangent (tanδ).

[0028] The basic configuration of the rheometer 40 described above is the same as that of a known rotary rheometer. In this way, by using the rheometer 40 according to a conventional method, physical quantities such as the elastic modulus, viscosity, and loss tangent of the sample S can be obtained. As an example of a rotary rheometer that can be suitably used to perform dynamic viscoelasticity measurements of the oral composition of the present invention, the MCR301 manufactured by Anton Paar can be cited.

[0029] In the dynamic viscoelasticity measurement of the oral composition of the present invention, a rheometer (MCR301 manufactured by Anton Paar) was used to place the oral composition as a sample S in a 1 mm gap between a 25 mm diameter sandblasted parallel plate (drive plate 42) and a receiving plate (44). The measurement was performed under conditions of a temperature of 25°C and a frequency of 2 Hz, measuring the storage modulus and loss modulus when the strain was varied from 0.001% to 1000%.

[0030] From the viewpoint of enabling gentle, long-duration massage and effectively promoting blood circulation in the gums without damaging them, it is preferable to use a massage brush 10 having a bristle tip ratio of 2 to 100 in combination with an oral composition satisfying the G' ratio value of 0.5 to 5.0. When the G' ratio value is within the above range, structural damage to the oral composition is less likely to occur even when brushing teeth for a long time. In other words, the oral composition can remain between the gums and the massage brush 10 for a long time while maintaining its structure. As a result, the oral composition improves the sliding between the gums and the massage brush 10 in the oral cavity, making it less likely to cause pain. Therefore, using the massage brush 10 in combination with the oral composition of this embodiment, rather than using it alone, enables gentler, longer-duration massage and effectively promotes blood circulation in the gums without damaging them.

[0031] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the oral composition preferably has a strain of 4% or more and a strain of 1000% or less at the point where the storage modulus G' and the loss modulus G'' obtained by dynamic viscoelasticity measurement intersect (hereinafter also referred to as the "G'G'' intersection point"). This makes the oral composition less likely to drip, thus making it easier to massage.

[0032] From the viewpoint of enabling a gentler massage, it is preferable that the bristle 17 has a tapered portion at the tip where the cross-sectional area decreases towards the tip. In this embodiment, all of the bristle 17 constituting each hair bundle 16 are tapered bristle, but at least a portion of the bristle 17 present in a single hair bundle 16 may be tapered bristle. Furthermore, hair bundles 16 in which all or part are tapered bristle and hair bundles 16 in which only bristle 17 without tapered portions are implanted may be mixed. Preferably, at least a portion of the bristle 17 constituting each individual hair bundle 16 are tapered bristle. From the viewpoint of enabling a gentler massage, the proportion of tapered bristle to the total number of bristle 17 in each individual hair bundle 16 is preferably 30% to 100%, more preferably 50% to 100%, and even more preferably 70% to 100%.

[0033] From the viewpoint of enabling a gentler massage and providing appropriate stimulation to the gums, the length of the tapered portion in the Z direction is preferably 20% to 100%, more preferably 40% to 80%, of the bristle length h of the bristle 17. From the same viewpoint as above, the length of the tapered portion in the Z direction is preferably 2 mm or more and 10 mm or less, more preferably 4 mm or more and 8 mm or less.

[0034] From the perspective of enabling a gentler massage, it is preferable that the tapered portion of the bristle 17 includes multiple branched tip bristles. This configuration allows the above-mentioned effects to be achieved even more significantly. From the above perspective, it is preferable that the number of branched tip hairs per bristle (hereinafter referred to as "number of branches") be between 2 and 7, and more preferably between 3 and 5.

[0035] The tapered portion of the bristle 17 is obtained, for example, by immersing the tip of the bristle in a known dissolving solvent to a predetermined depth, thereby sharpening the tip with a chemical agent. Preferably, the branched tip hairs provided on the tapered portion can be obtained by, for example, the method described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 9-322821, in which a bundle of sea-island type composite fibers, with both cut ends exposed, is immersed in a heated caustic soda solution to selectively dissolve and remove the sea component made of polyethylene terephthalate at both ends, thereby exposing the island-shaped core made of nylon 610. Furthermore, the method for forming the tapered portion of Bristle 17 and the method for forming the branched tip bristles are not limited to the methods described above.

[0036] <Method for measuring the number of branches> Pull out all the bristles from the massage brush 10 and count the total number of bristles. Observe the tips of the bristles under a microscope and determine the total number of tip hairs a for all bristles that have branched tip hairs. For bristles that do not have branched tip hairs, the number of bristles is denoted as the number of tip hairs b. Divide the sum of the total number of tip hairs a and the number of tip hairs b (indicated as "Number of branched tip hairs" in Table 1) by the total number of bristles (indicated as "Number of bristles" in Table 1) to determine the number of branches. For example, a massage brush may include cases where all bristles have 4 branched tip hairs; in this case, the number of branches is 4.

[0037] From the perspective of preventing damage to the gums, the massage brush has a bristle buckling strength of 60 N / cm when measured using the measurement method (method for measuring bristle hardness) described in JIS S3016-1995. 2 Preferably less than 50 N / cm² 2 The following is more preferable. The buckling strength of the bristle referred to here is the hardness of the bristles determined by test method 5.3 of JIS S3016-1995. From the perspective of providing appropriate stimulation to the gums, the buckling strength of the bristle should be 20 N / cm. 2 Preferably, it is 30 N / cm 2 It is more preferable that the above conditions are met. Taking all of the above into account, the buckling strength of the bristle is 20 N / cm 2 More than 60N / cm 2 Preferably less than 30 N / cm² 2 More than 50N / cm 2 The following is more preferable:

[0038] In this embodiment, it is preferable that the hair bundles 16, which are made by bundling multiple bristle 17 together, are implanted into the hair implantation holes 15 provided in the head portion 12 by flat wire implantation using a flat wire 18, thereby causing the hair bundles 16 to protrude. When flat wire implantation is used, the radius of curvature of the outer bristle 17, which is folded back at a position farther from the flat wire 18 in each hair implantation hole 15, is larger than that of the inner bristle 17 (see Figure 7). As a result, the length of the portion of the outer bristle 17 that is embedded inside the hair implantation hole 15 becomes longer, and the hair height h1, which is the height of the portion that protrudes from the hair implantation surface 12a, becomes lower than the hair height h2 of the inner bristle 17, which has a smaller radius of curvature.

[0039] As a result, in this embodiment, as shown in Figures 3(c) and 7, in each bristle bundle 16, the multiple bristle strands 17 are planted such that the bristle length h gradually decreases, from the bristle strand 17a with the highest bristle length h in the portion close to the top of the embedded flat wire 18, to the bristle strand 17b with the lowest bristle length h on the outside, further away from the top of the flat wire 18. From the viewpoint of ensuring that the tips of the bristle strands 17 reach even into gaps such as the cervical area of ​​the tooth, the height difference s between the bristle strand 17a with the highest bristle length and the bristle strand 17b with the lowest bristle length is preferably 1.5 mm or more, more preferably 2.0 mm or more, preferably 5.0 mm or less, and more preferably 4.5 mm or less. In each bristle bundle 16, multiple bristle 17 are planted in a roof-like shape, with the bristle length h gradually decreasing from the bristle 17a with the highest bristle length h, which is closest to the top of the embedded flat wire 18, to the outer bristle 17b, which is further away from the top of the flat wire. This allows the tips of the bristle 17 to reach even the gaps around the gum line, making it possible to massage the gums more effectively.

[0040] The flat wire 18 can be made of a known material in the shape of a strip. Examples include metals such as brass, stainless steel, and aluminum, or plastics such as hard plastics and biodegradable plastics.

[0041] The oral composition in the present invention is not particularly limited in composition, etc., as long as it satisfies the G' ratio condition. As an example of the oral composition of the present invention, the oral composition of the embodiment shown below is preferred. <Oral composition of this embodiment> The oral composition of this embodiment is (A) A higher alcohol having 12 to 22 carbon atoms, containing cetanol (a1) and / or stearyl alcohol (a2), (B) A surfactant containing one or more nonionic surfactants (b1) selected from sorbitan fatty acid esters and polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid esters, and (C) Preferably contains water.

[0042] The components (A) through (C) form a structure with characteristic viscoelastic properties, enabling gentle, prolonged massage and effectively promoting blood circulation in the gums without damaging them. The "structure with characteristic viscoelastic properties" referred to here is one that has excellent shape retention while also being highly elastic.

[0043] The oral composition of the present invention preferably contains, as component (A), a higher alcohol having 12 to 22 carbon atoms, which includes cetanol (a1) and / or stearyl alcohol (a2). By containing such component (A), together with components (B) and (C) described later, it forms a characteristic viscoelastic structure, enabling gentle, long-duration massage and effectively promoting blood circulation in the gums without damaging them.

[0044] From the viewpoint of ensuring storage stability by suppressing viscosity fluctuations, the higher alcohol of component (A) forms a characteristic viscoelastic structure while maintaining an appropriate viscosity as an oral composition, and the higher alcohol of component (A) forms a characteristic viscoelastic structure, the mass ratio (((a1)+(a2)) / (A)) of the total amount of content of component (a1) and component (a2) to the amount of component (A) is preferably 0.85 or higher, more preferably 0.9 or higher, even more preferably 0.92 or higher, and 1 or less.

[0045] Component (A), other than components (a1) and (a2), is preferably one or more selected from lauryl alcohol, myristyl alcohol, and behenyl alcohol.

[0046] The mass ratio ((a1) / (a2)) of the content of component (a1) to the content of component (a2) is preferably 0.5 or higher, more preferably 0.7 or higher, preferably 5 or lower, more preferably 3 or lower, even more preferably 2 or lower, and even more preferably 1.7 or lower, from the viewpoint of forming a characteristic viscoelastic structure while improving the stability as an oral composition. Furthermore, regarding the higher alcohols other than components (a1) and (a2), namely lauryl alcohol and myristyl alcohol, which have 12 to 22 carbon atoms, from the viewpoint of taste, the mass ratio ((lauryl alcohol + myristyl alcohol) / (A)) of the total amount of lauryl alcohol and myristyl alcohol to the amount of component (A) is preferably 0.05 or less, more preferably 0.03 or less, and even more preferably 0.01 or less.

[0047] The behenyl alcohol, which is a higher alcohol with 12 to 22 carbon atoms other than components (a1) and (a2), preferably has a mass ratio of behenyl alcohol content to component (A) content (behenyl alcohol / (A)) of 0.1 or less, and more preferably 0.05 or less, from the viewpoint of suppressing the precipitation and separation of component (A).

[0048] The content of component (A) in the oral composition of the present invention is preferably 1% by mass or more, and more preferably 2% by mass or more, from the viewpoint of forming a characteristic viscoelastic structure. Furthermore, the content of component (A) in the oral composition of the present invention is preferably 30% by mass or less, preferably 25% by mass or less, more preferably 20% by mass or less, and even more preferably 18% by mass or less, from the viewpoint of achieving an appropriate viscosity, improving the storage stability of such viscosity, and ensuring the dispersibility of each component in the composition. And, the content of component (A) in the oral composition of the present invention is preferably 1% by mass or more and 30% by mass or less, more preferably 1 to 25% by mass, even more preferably 1 to 20% by mass, and even more preferably 2 to 18% by mass.

[0049] The oral composition of the present invention preferably contains, as component (B), a surfactant including a nonionic surfactant (b1) selected from sorbitan fatty acid esters and polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid esters. By using the surfactant of component (B), including the nonionic surfactant of component (b1), in a specific content, a characteristic viscoelastic structure is formed, enabling gentle, long-duration massage and effectively promoting blood circulation in the gums without damaging them.

[0050] Component (b1) is a nonionic surfactant selected from sorbitan fatty acid esters and polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid esters. As for the sorbitan fatty acid ester, from the viewpoint of forming a characteristic viscoelastic structure, enabling gentle, long-duration massage, and effectively promoting blood circulation in the gums without damaging them, it is preferable to select one or more from fatty acids having 10 or more carbon atoms, more preferably from fatty acids having 12 or more carbon atoms, more preferably from fatty acids having 20 or fewer carbon atoms, and more preferably from fatty acids having 18 or fewer carbon atoms. Specifically, examples include one or more selected from monocaprate sorbitan, monoundecylate sorbitan, monolaurate sorbitan, monotridecylate sorbitan, monomyristate sorbitan, monopalmitate sorbitan, monooleate sorbitan, trioleate sorbitan, tetraoleate sorbitan, sesquioleate sorbitan, monostearate sorbitan, and tristearate sorbitan. In particular, one or more selected from sorbitan monooleate, sorbitan sesquioleate, and sorbitan monostearate are preferred.

[0051] As for polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid esters, from the viewpoint of forming a characteristic viscoelastic structure that allows for gentle, long-duration massage and effectively promotes blood circulation in the gums without damaging them, it is preferable that they are derived from fatty acids with 6 or more carbon atoms, more preferably from fatty acids with 12 or more carbon atoms, more preferably from fatty acids with 22 or fewer carbon atoms, and more preferably from fatty acids with 20 or fewer carbon atoms, and one or more selected from these. Also, from the same viewpoint, the average number of moles of ethyleneoxy groups added to the polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid ester is preferably 5 to 40 moles, more preferably 10 to 25 moles, and even more preferably 10 to 20 moles. Examples of such polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid esters include one or more selected from polyoxyethylene sorbitan monolaurate, polyoxyethylene sorbitan monomyristate, polyoxyethylene sorbitan monopalmitate, polyoxyethylene sorbitan monostearate, and polyoxyethylene sorbitan monooleate. In particular, from the viewpoint of forming a characteristic viscoelastic structure, enabling gentle, long-duration massage, and effectively promoting blood circulation in the gums without damaging them, one or more selected from polyoxyethylene sorbitan monopalmitate, polyoxyethylene sorbitan monostearate, and polyoxyethylene sorbitan monooleate are preferred.

[0052] Component (B) preferably contains an anionic surfactant (b2), which is a fatty acid or salt thereof having 12 to 22 carbon atoms, from the viewpoint of forming a characteristic viscoelastic structure, enabling gentle, long-duration massage, and effectively promoting blood circulation in the gums without damaging them. Component (b2) has 12 or more carbon atoms, preferably 14 or more, more preferably 16 or more, and 22 or fewer carbon atoms, preferably 20 or fewer, and more preferably 18 or fewer. The fatty acid constituting component (b2) may be linear or branched, but it is preferable that it be linear from the viewpoint of forming a characteristic viscoelastic structure, enabling gentle, long-duration massage, and effectively promoting blood circulation in the gums without damaging them. Specific examples of such component (b2) include one or more selected from lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, coconut oil fatty acid, and salts thereof. In particular, one or more selected from palmitic acid, stearic acid, and salts thereof are preferred, and it is even more preferable that at least component (b2) contains stearic acid or a salt thereof. Examples of salts constituting component (b2) include alkali metals selected from sodium and potassium; basic amino acids such as arginine; alkanol ammonium such as monoethanolammonium, diethanolammonium, and triethanolammonium; and ammonium. In particular, from the viewpoint of compositional stability, alkali metals selected from sodium and potassium are preferred as salts constituting component (b2).

[0053] Component (B) may include component (b1) and component (b2), and may further include one or more nonionic surfactants (b3) selected from polyoxyethylene hydrogenated castor oil, sucrose fatty acid esters, and polyglycerin fatty acid esters, and anionic surfactants (b4) selected from alkyl sulfate sodium, acylmethyl taurate salts, and acyl sarcosine salts. In other words, the oral composition of the present invention may include the nonionic surfactant component (b1) as the surfactant component (B), and may further include the anionic surfactant component (b2), and may further include component (b3) other than component (b1) as the nonionic surfactant, or may include component (b4) other than component (b2) as the anionic surfactant.

[0054] The average number of moles of ethyleneoxy groups added to polyoxyethylene hydrogenated castor oil in component (b3) is preferably 20 to 100 moles, more preferably 40 to 80 moles, from the viewpoint of forming a characteristic viscoelastic structure, enabling gentle, long-duration massage, and effectively promoting blood circulation in the gums without damaging them. The content of polyoxyethylene hydrogenated castor oil in component (b3) is preferably 0.5% by mass or less, more preferably 0.3% by mass or less, even more preferably 0.1% by mass or less, and even more preferably 0.01% by mass or less in the oral composition of the present invention, from the viewpoint of forming a characteristic viscoelastic structure, enabling gentle, long-duration massage, and effectively promoting blood circulation in the gums without damaging them, or the oral composition of the present invention may not contain polyoxyethylene hydrogenated castor oil.

[0055] The polyglycerol fatty acid ester of component (b3) is a polyglycerol in which 2 to 20 glycerol molecules are condensed, and 1 to 4 fatty acids with 8 to 24 carbon atoms are ester-bonded to it. The fatty acid portion constituting such a polyglycerol fatty acid ester is preferably derived from fatty acids with 12 to 20 carbon atoms, more preferably from fatty acids with 12 to 18 carbon atoms, and even more preferably from fatty acids with 12 to 14 carbon atoms, from the viewpoint of forming a characteristic viscoelastic structure that allows for gentle, long-duration massage and effectively promotes blood circulation in the gums without damaging them. The polyglycerol fatty acid ester is preferably a monoester composed of these fatty acid portions. Furthermore, from the same viewpoint, the average degree of condensation of glycerol in the polyglycerol fatty acid ester is preferably 2 to 20, and more preferably 5 to 12.

[0056] The sucrose fatty acid ester of component (b3) is composed of a fatty acid portion derived from a fatty acid having 6 to 20 carbon atoms. In particular, the fatty acid portion constituting such a sucrose fatty acid ester is preferably derived from a fatty acid having 10 to 18 carbon atoms, and more preferably from a fatty acid having 12 to 14 carbon atoms, from the viewpoint of forming a characteristic viscoelastic structure, enabling a gentle touch and prolonged massage, effectively promoting blood circulation in the gums without damaging them, and providing a good user experience.

[0057] One or more anionic surfactants selected from alkyl sulfates, acylmethyl taurate salts, and acyl sarcosine salts of component (b4) include alkyl sulfates such as sodium lauryl sulfate and sodium myristyl sulfate; sodium or potassium salts of acyl sarcosines such as N-lauroyl sarcosine, N-myristoyl sarcosine, N-palmitoyl sarcosine, N-stearoyl sarcosine, N-isostearoyl sarcosine, and N-oleoyl sarcosine; and one or more selected from sodium or potassium salts of acylmethyl taurates such as caprylmethyl taurate, laurylmethyl taurate, myristylmethyl taurate, palmitylmethyl taurate, and stearylmethyl taurate. Among these, one or more selected from sodium lauryl sulfate, N-lauroyl sarcosine salt, N-myristoyl sarcosine salt, lauryl methyl taurate salt, and myristyl methyl taurate salt are preferred, with sodium lauryl sulfate being more preferred.

[0058] The content of component (b1) is preferably 0.2% by mass or more, more preferably 0.4% by mass or more, and even more preferably 0.5% by mass or more, in the oral composition of the present invention, from the viewpoint of forming a characteristic viscoelastic structure, enabling gentle and prolonged massage, and effectively promoting blood circulation in the gums without damaging them. From the viewpoint of ensuring the stability of the composition, ensuring viscosity stability while maintaining an appropriate viscosity, and maintaining a balance with the flavor, it is preferably 10% by mass or less, preferably 8% by mass or less, and more preferably 6% by mass or less. Furthermore, the content of component (b1) in the oral composition of the present invention is preferably 1% by mass or more, more preferably 1.5% by mass or more, and even more preferably 2% by mass or more, from the viewpoint of forming a characteristic viscoelastic structure when component (b2) is not present, enabling gentle, long-term massage, and effectively promoting blood circulation in the gums without damaging them. The content of component (b1) is preferably 5% by mass or less in the oral composition of the present invention, if component (b2) is also present.

[0059] From the viewpoint of forming a characteristic viscoelastic structure, enabling gentle, long-duration massage, and effectively promoting blood circulation in the gums without damaging them, the content of component (b2) in the oral composition of the present invention is preferably 0.05% by mass or more, more preferably 0.08% by mass or more, and even more preferably 0.1% by mass or more, in terms of fatty acid equivalent. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of ensuring the stability of the composition, maintaining viscosity stability while maintaining an appropriate viscosity, maintaining a balance with flavor, and reducing harm to the oral mucosa, the content of component (b2) in the oral composition of the present invention is preferably 5% by mass or less, more preferably 4% by mass or less, and even more preferably 3% by mass or less, in terms of fatty acid equivalent.

[0060] The total amount of component (b1) and the fatty acid equivalent of component (b2) in the oral composition of the present invention is preferably 0.1% by mass or more, more preferably 0.2% by mass or more, from the viewpoint of forming a characteristic viscoelastic structure that allows for gentle, long-duration massage and effectively promotes blood circulation in the gums without damaging them. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of ensuring the stability of the composition and maintaining viscosity stability while maintaining an appropriate viscosity and a balance with flavor, it is preferably 10% by mass or less, more preferably 8% by mass or less, and even more preferably 6.5% by mass or less. In addition, it is preferable that the oral composition of the present invention contains both component (b1) and component (b2).

[0061] The content of component (b3) in the oral composition of the present invention is preferably 0.5% by mass or less, more preferably 0.25% by mass or less, even more preferably 0.2% by mass or less, even more preferably 0.1% by mass or less, and even more preferably 0.05% by mass or less, from the viewpoint of forming a characteristic viscoelastic structure, enabling gentle and prolonged massage, and effectively promoting blood circulation in the gums without damaging them.

[0062] From the viewpoint of harm to the gums and oral mucosa, and flavor, the content of component (b4) in the oral composition of the present invention is preferably 2% by mass or less, more preferably 1.5% by mass or less, even more preferably 1% by mass or less, and even more preferably 0.7% by mass or less.

[0063] From the viewpoint of forming a characteristic viscoelastic structure, enabling gentle, long-duration massage, and effectively promoting blood circulation in the gums without damaging them, the content of component (B) in the oral composition of the present invention is preferably 0.1% by mass or more, more preferably 0.2% by mass or more, even more preferably 0.3% by mass or more, and even more preferably 0.4% by mass or more. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of ensuring the stability of the composition, ensuring viscosity stability while maintaining an appropriate viscosity, and maintaining a balance with the flavor, the content of component (B) in the oral composition of the present invention is preferably 10% by mass or less, more preferably 9% by mass or less, even more preferably 8% by mass or less, and even more preferably 7% by mass or less. And, the content of component (B) in the oral composition of the present invention is preferably 0.1% by mass or more and 10% by mass or less, more preferably 0.2 to 9% by mass, even more preferably 0.3 to 8% by mass, and even more preferably 0.4 to 7% by mass.

[0064] In the oral composition of the present invention, the mass ratio ((A) / (b1)) of the content of component (A) to component (b1) is preferably 1 or more, more preferably 1.5 or more, and even more preferably 2 or more, from the viewpoint of forming a characteristic viscoelastic structure, enabling gentle and prolonged massage, and effectively promoting blood circulation in the gums without damaging them. Furthermore, the mass ratio ((A) / (b1)) of the content of component (A) to component (b1) is preferably 20 or less, more preferably 10 or less, and even more preferably 5 or less, from the viewpoint of ensuring viscosity stability while maintaining an appropriate viscosity as an oral composition, ensuring stability as a composition, and providing a good feel for use. And the mass ratio ((A) / (b1)) of the content of component (A) to component (b1) is preferably 1 to 20, more preferably 1.5 to 10, and even more preferably 2 to 5.

[0065] In the oral composition of the present invention, the mass ratio ((A) / (b2)) of the content of component (A) to component (b2) is preferably 1 or more, more preferably 1.5 or more, and even more preferably 2 or more, from the viewpoint of forming a characteristic viscoelastic structure, enabling gentle and prolonged massage, and effectively promoting blood circulation in the gums without damaging them. Furthermore, the mass ratio ((A) / (b2)) of the content of component (A) to component (b2) is preferably 20 or less, more preferably 15 or less, and even more preferably 10 or less, from the viewpoint of ensuring viscosity stability while maintaining an appropriate viscosity as an oral composition, ensuring stability as a composition, and providing a good feel for use. And the mass ratio ((A) / (b2)) of the content of component (A) to component (b2) is preferably 1 to 20, more preferably 1.5 to 15, and even more preferably 2 to 10.

[0066] In the oral composition of the present invention, the mass ratio ((A) / nonionic surfactant) of the content of component (A) to the content of the nonionic surfactant containing component (b1) is preferably 1 or more, more preferably 1.2 or more, and even more preferably 1.4 or more, from the viewpoint of forming a characteristic viscoelastic structure, enabling gentle and prolonged massage, and effectively promoting blood circulation in the gums without damaging them. Furthermore, the mass ratio ((A) / nonionic surfactant) of the content of component (A) to the content of the nonionic surfactant containing component (b1) is preferably 20 or less, more preferably 10 or less, and even more preferably 8 or less, from the viewpoint of ensuring viscosity stability while maintaining an appropriate viscosity as an oral composition, and from the viewpoint of stability as a composition. And the mass ratio ((A) / nonionic surfactant) of the content of component (A) to the content of the nonionic surfactant containing component (b1) is preferably 1 to 20, more preferably 1.2 to 10, and even more preferably 1.4 to 8.

[0067] When the oral composition of the present invention contains component (b2) as component (B), the mass ratio of the content of component (A) to the content of the anionic surfactant containing component (b2) ((A) / anionic surfactant) is preferably 1 or more, more preferably 1.4 or more, from the viewpoint of forming a characteristic viscoelastic structure, enabling gentle and prolonged massage, and effectively promoting blood circulation in the gums without damaging them. Furthermore, the mass ratio of the content of component (A) to the content of the anionic surfactant containing component (b2) ((A) / anionic surfactant) is preferably 20 or less, more preferably 9 or less, from the viewpoint of ensuring viscosity stability while maintaining an appropriate viscosity as an oral composition, ensuring stability as a composition, and providing a good feel. And the mass ratio of the content of component (A) to the content of the anionic surfactant containing component (b2) ((A) / anionic surfactant) is preferably 1 to 20, more preferably 1.4 to 9.

[0068] When the oral composition of the present invention contains component (b2) as component (B), the mass ratio ((A) / ((b1)+(b2))) of the content of component (A) to the total amount of the content of component (b1) and the fatty acid equivalent amount of component (b2) is preferably 1 or more, more preferably 1.2 or more, and even more preferably 1.5 or more, from the viewpoint of forming a characteristic viscoelastic structure, enabling gentle and prolonged massage, and effectively promoting blood circulation in the gums without damaging the gums. Furthermore, the mass ratio ((A) / ((b1)+(b2))) of the content of component (A) to the total amount of the content of component (b1) and the fatty acid equivalent amount of component (b2) is preferably 20 or less, more preferably 10 or less, and even more preferably 4 or less, from the viewpoint of ensuring viscosity stability while maintaining an appropriate viscosity as an oral composition, ensuring stability as a composition, and providing a good feel for use. Furthermore, the mass ratio ((A) / ((b1)+(b2))) of the content of component (A) to the total amount of component (b1) and the fatty acid equivalent of component (b2) is preferably 1 to 20, more preferably 1.2 to 10, and even more preferably 1.5 to 4.

[0069] The oral composition of the present invention may also preferably contain water as component (C). In the present invention, water as component (C) refers to the total water content in the oral composition, including not only purified water or the like that blended into the oral composition, but also the water contained in each blended component, such as the 70% sorbitol solution (aqueous solution) or 48% potassium hydroxide solution (aqueous solution) used when formulating. By including such water as component (C), it is possible to ensure an appropriate viscosity and good shape retention as an oral composition, while maintaining the characteristic viscoelastic structure that is formed, dispersing or dissolving each component well, and improving the feel of use while also ensuring viscosity stability. The content of component (C) in the oral composition of the present invention is preferably 30% by mass or more, more preferably 40% by mass or more, even more preferably 50% by mass or more, more preferably 55% by mass or more, preferably 95% by mass or less, and more preferably 92% by mass or less. Furthermore, the content of component (C) in the oral composition of the present invention is preferably 30 to 95% by mass, more preferably 40 to 92% by mass, even more preferably 50 to 92% by mass, and even more preferably 55 to 92% by mass.

[0070] The content of component (C) in the oral composition of the present invention, i.e., the water content, can be calculated from the amount of water added and the amount of water in the added components, but it can also be measured using a Karl Fischer moisture meter, for example. As a Karl Fischer moisture meter, for example, a trace moisture measuring device (Hiranuma Sangyo) can be used. With this device, 5 g of the oral composition can be taken, suspended in 25 g of anhydrous methanol, and 0.02 g of this suspension can be taken to measure the water content.

[0071] The oral composition of the present invention may also preferably contain, as component (D), 0.01% by mass or more and 1% by mass of one or more binders selected from carboxyvinyl polymer and acrylic acid / (meth)acrylate alkyl copolymer. This effectively suppresses excessive viscosity increases even when exposed to high-temperature storage environments, while providing high viscosity stability, and also effectively prevents the collapse of the characteristic viscoelastic structure formed by components (A) to (C), which tends to occur when exposed to high-temperature storage environments.

[0072] Carboxyvinyl polymer is a polymer in which the main monomer is acrylic acid, and may be crosslinked with allyl ether or the like. For example, commercially available products such as Carbopol 940 and 941 (both from Lubrizol Advanced Materials) can be used. (Meth)acrylic acid / (meth)acrylate alkyl copolymer is a copolymer of alkyl (meth)acrylic acid and acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, or lower alkyl esters thereof, crosslinked with sucrose allyl ether or pentaerythritol allyl ether. For example, commercially available products such as Pemlen TR-1, Pemlen TR-2, Carbopol ETD2020, Carbopol 1342, and Carbopol 1382 (all from Lubrizol Advanced Materials) can be used.

[0073] These components (D) are preferably used as salts by neutralization with a base. Examples of bases include alkali metal hydroxides such as sodium and potassium; ammonium; ammonium derived from alkanolamines such as monoethanolamine, diethanolamine, and triethanolamine; and basic amino acids such as arginine and lysine. Alkali metal hydroxides such as sodium and potassium are preferred, and potassium hydroxide and sodium hydroxide are more preferred.

[0074] The content of component (D) in the oral composition of the present invention is 0.01% by mass or more, preferably 0.04% by mass or more, and more preferably 0.1% by mass or more, from the viewpoint of imparting an appropriate viscosity to the composition and ensuring viscosity stability. Furthermore, the content of component (D) in the oral composition of the present invention is 1% by mass or less, preferably 0.8% by mass or less, more preferably 0.6% by mass or less, and even more preferably 0.4% by mass or less, from the viewpoint of ensuring the stability of the characteristic viscoelastic structure formed by components (A) to (C). And the content of component (D) in the oral composition of the present invention is 0.01% by mass or more and 1% by mass or less, preferably 0.04 to 0.8% by mass, more preferably 0.06 to 0.6% by mass, and even more preferably 0.08 to 0.4% by mass.

[0075] The mass ratio ((A) / (D)) of the content of component (A) to the content of component (D) is 3 or more, preferably 7 or more, more preferably 10 or more, and even more preferably 15 or more, from the viewpoint of ensuring viscosity stability while imparting appropriate viscosity to the composition. Furthermore, the mass ratio ((A) / (D)) of the content of component (A) to the content of component (D) is 280 or less, preferably 250 or less, more preferably 130 or less, and even more preferably 100 or less, from the viewpoint of effectively preventing the collapse of the characteristic viscoelastic structure formed by components (A) to (C). And the mass ratio ((A) / (D)) of the content of component (A) to the content of component (D) is 3 or more and 280 or less, preferably 7 to 250, more preferably 10 to 130, and even more preferably 15 to 100.

[0076] The mass ratio ((b2) / (D)) of the content of component (b2) to the content of component (D) is preferably 0.4 or higher, more preferably 0.6 or higher, and even more preferably 0.8 or higher, from the viewpoint of imparting appropriate viscosity to the composition while ensuring viscosity stability. Furthermore, the mass ratio ((b2) / (D)) of the content of component (b2) to the content of component (D) is preferably 200 or less, more preferably 100 or less, even more preferably 60 or less, and even more preferably 30 or less, from the viewpoint of effectively preventing the collapse of the characteristic viscoelastic structure formed by components (A) and (B). And the mass ratio ((b2) / (D)) of the content of component (A) to the content of component (D) is preferably 0.4 to 200, more preferably 0.6 to 100, even more preferably 0.8 to 60, and even more preferably 0.8 to 30.

[0077] The oral composition of the present invention contains 0.3% by mass or less of a cellulose-based binder. By limiting the content of the cellulose-based binder in this way, it is possible to effectively suppress the increase in viscosity when exposed to a high-temperature storage environment, while maintaining appropriate viscosity and shape retention, and to effectively prevent the collapse of the characteristic viscoelastic structure formed by components (A) and (B). Specific examples of cellulose-based binders include sodium carboxymethylcellulose and hydroxyalkylcellulose (e.g., hydroxyethylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose). The content of such cellulose-based binder in the oral composition of the present invention is 0.3% by mass or less, preferably 0.25% by mass or less, more preferably 0.2% by mass or less, and even more preferably 0.1% by mass or less. Or, unless it is unavoidably mixed in, the oral composition of the present invention does not need to contain a cellulose-based binder.

[0078] The oral composition of the present invention may contain binders other than component (D) and cellulose-based binders. Examples of binders other than component (D) include one or more selected from sodium alginate, carrageenan, xanthan gum, pectin, agar, tragacanth gum, gum arabic, guar gum, karaya gum, locust bean gum, gela gum, tamarid gum, and psyllium seed gum, with one or more binders selected from carrageenan and xanthan gum being preferred. From the viewpoint of ensuring viscosity stability, the content of these binders other than component (D) and cellulose-based binders in the oral composition of the present invention is preferably 0.5% by mass or less, and more preferably 0.3% by mass or less.

[0079] In the oral composition of the present invention, from the viewpoint of suppressing the collapse of the characteristic viscoelastic structure formed by the above components (A) to (C), and particularly when component (b2) is included, from the viewpoint of preventing the bonding of component (b2) with polyvalent metals and the precipitation of metal salts, it is preferable to limit the content of abrasives (abrasive powders) containing polyvalent metals. Examples of such polyvalent metals include aluminum, calcium, zirconium, iron, copper, zinc, and manganese. Examples of abrasives containing these include water-insoluble calcium compounds such as calcium carbonate, calcium hydrogen phosphate, insoluble potassium metaphosphate, aluminum silicate, zirconium silicate, aluminum oxide, aluminum hydroxide, and zinc oxide.

[0080] The oral composition of the present invention forms a characteristic viscoelastic structure, enabling gentle, long-duration massage and effectively promoting blood circulation in the gums without damaging them. From this viewpoint, the content of abrasives containing polyvalent metals in the oral composition of the present invention is preferably 50% by mass or less, more preferably 45% by mass or less, even more preferably 40% by mass or less, even more preferably 30% by mass or less, even more preferably 20% by mass or less, even more preferably 10% by mass or less, even more preferably 5% by mass or less, and even more preferably 2% by mass or less. Alternatively, unless it is unavoidably present, the oral composition of the present invention preferably contains substantially no abrasives containing polyvalent metals. Here, "substantially contained" means 0.8% by mass or less.

[0081] From the viewpoint of flavor, the oral composition of the present invention preferably further contains a sugar alcohol. The content of such sugar alcohol is preferably 53% by mass or less, preferably 30% by mass or less, more preferably 20% by mass or less, even more preferably 15% by mass or less, even more preferably 8% by mass or less, from the viewpoint of forming a characteristic viscoelastic structure, enabling gentle and prolonged massage, and effectively promoting blood circulation in the gums without damaging them. From the viewpoint of flavor, it is preferably 1% by mass or more, more preferably 1.5% by mass or more, even more preferably 2% by mass or more, even more preferably 2.5% by mass or more, and even more preferably 5% by mass or more. The sugar alcohol is preferably one or more selected from sorbitol, xylitol, erythritol, reduced palatinol, and mannitol. From the viewpoint of high solubility in water and giving the composition a smooth feel, one or more selected from sorbitol and xylitol is more preferred, and it is preferable to contain at least sorbitol as the sugar alcohol.

[0082] From the viewpoint of exhibiting excellent stain removal performance, the oral composition of the present invention preferably further contains granules. From the viewpoint of enhancing stain removal performance while providing a smooth feel and improving its persistence, the amount of such granules in the oral composition of the present invention is 2% by mass or more, preferably 3% by mass or more, more preferably 4% by mass or more, and even more preferably 5% by mass or more. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of suppressing an excessive granular sensation, the amount is 11% by mass or less, preferably 10% by mass or less, and more preferably 8% by mass or less. The oral composition of the present invention may have a limited granule content. In that case, the granule content is less than 5% by mass, preferably less than 3% by mass, more preferably less than 1% by mass, or preferably substantially free of granules unless they are unavoidably present. "Substantially free" here means 0.8% by mass or less.

[0083] The average particle size of the granules used in this invention is preferably 75 μm or more, more preferably 100 μm or more, and even more preferably 125 μm or more, from the viewpoint of having sufficient abrasive power, and preferably 250 μm or less, more preferably 220 μm or less, even more preferably 210 μm or less, and even more preferably 180 μm or less, from the viewpoint of suppressing the feeling of a foreign body in the oral cavity. The average particle diameter (μm) of the granules is preferably 75 to 250 μm, more preferably 100 to 220 μm, even more preferably 125 to 210 μm, and even more preferably 125 to 180 μm. The average particle size of the granules is the volume-average particle size, which is the median diameter in the particle size distribution for granules with a particle size of 50 μm or larger, as measured by laser diffraction / scattering particle size distribution analysis.

[0084] In producing the above-mentioned granules, examples of materials that can be used include silica, aluminum hydroxide, magnesium phosphate, calcium carbonate, calcium pyrophosphate, zeolite, complex aluminosilicate, magnesium carbonate, dicalcium phosphate, tricalcium phosphate, and insoluble sodium metaphosphate. These may be used individually or in combination of two or more. In particular, from the viewpoint of improving stain removal performance by imparting a high deformation rate, and from the viewpoint of handling and versatility, one or more selected from silica, calcium carbonate, aluminum hydroxide, and zeolite are preferred, and silica is more preferred.

[0085] The oral composition of the present invention preferably contains one or more polyhydric alcohols selected from glycerin, propylene glycol, and polyethylene glycol, and more preferably contains at least glycerin, from the viewpoint of forming a characteristic viscoelastic structure, enabling gentle, long-duration massage, and effectively promoting blood circulation in the gums without damaging them. The content of such polyhydric alcohols in the oral composition of the present invention is preferably 5% by mass or more, more preferably 7% by mass or more, even more preferably 10% by mass or more, preferably 40% by mass or less, more preferably 35% by mass or less, and even more preferably 30% by mass or less, from the viewpoint of forming a characteristic viscoelastic structure, enabling gentle, long-duration massage, and effectively promoting blood circulation in the gums without damaging them.

[0086] Although the present invention has been described above based on its preferred embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments and can be modified as appropriate. Furthermore, the above embodiments may be combined. For example, the hair bundles 16 may be uniformly arranged over the entire surface 12a of the head portion 12. Furthermore, the massage brush 10 may be a reciprocating electric toothbrush that converts the rotational motion of an electric motor into reciprocating motion of a replaceable brush or brush part via a crank mechanism or the like. [Examples]

[0087] The present invention will be described in more detail below using examples. However, the scope of the present invention is not limited to these examples. Examples 3 and 5-7 are for reference only.

[0088] [Brush Sample 1] A massage brush having the same configuration as the toothbrush in the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 4(a) above was used as the toothbrush for brush sample 1. Bristle area (mm²) 2 ), shape of the bristles, surface area of ​​the bristles M (mm 2 ), branched tip hair count / hair tip count, hair tip count / hair bundle count, hair bundle count (number of hairs), hair follicle diameter (mm), sum of hair tip surface area M (mm) 2 The percentage of hair tips and the buckling strength (N) were measured or calculated and are shown in Table 1.

[0089] [Brush Samples 2-7] Brush samples 2-7, bristle area (mm²) 2 ), shape of the bristles, surface area of ​​the bristles M (mm 2 ), branched tip hair count / hair tip count, hair tip count / hair bundle count, hair bundle count (number of hairs), hair follicle diameter (mm), sum of hair tip surface area M (mm) 2 ), and materials with different hair tip ratios and buckling strengths (N) as shown in Table 1 were used. The values ​​in the left column of Brush Sample 6 in Table 1 represent the values ​​for the tips of the thick bristle bristles, which account for 48% of the total, while the values ​​in the right column of Brush Sample 6 in Table 1 represent the values ​​for the tips of the thin bristle bristles, which account for 52% of the total. The proportion of bristles at the tip of brush samples 1-5 was between 2 and 100. On the other hand, the proportion of bristles in brush samples 6 and 7 was less than 2.

[0090] [Table 1]

[0091] [Oral Composition Samples 1-4] Oral composition samples 1 to 4 were used. For oral composition samples 1 to 4, the storage modulus and loss modulus were measured using the method described above when the strain (γ) was varied from 0.001% to 1000%, and the intersection of the G' ratio and G'G'' was calculated. The results are shown in Table 2 and Figures 9 to 12 below. Oral composition samples 1 to 3 had a G' ratio of 0.5 or more and 5 or less, while oral composition sample 4 had a G' ratio greater than 5. The composition of oral composition sample 1 was as shown in Table 3. Oral composition sample 3 had a granule content of 12%, and oral composition sample 4 had a sugar alcohol content of 55% by mass.

[0092] [Table 2]

[0093] [Table 3]

[0094] 〔evaluation〕 The usability of brush samples 1-7 and oral composition samples 1-4 was evaluated using the following evaluation method. The results are shown in Table 4. In addition, the vertical force applied to the head of the brush sample when it was brushed using a brushing machine (brushing stress) was measured using the following method, and the rate of change of brushing stress (Fz) was evaluated. The results are shown in Table 5 and Figure 13.

[0095] [Evaluation of user experience] We evaluated the following aspects of the oral composition: pain in the gums during and after use, ease of massage, the feeling of being able to continue for a long time, the ease of dripping of the oral composition, and the glide of the oral composition. To evaluate the user experience, approximately 1 g of the oral composition sample was dispensed onto the center of the brush sample head, and the user massaged the teeth and gums for approximately 3 minutes. The user experience during and after the massage was evaluated. The combinations of brush samples and oral compositions are shown in Table 4. The evaluation was conducted by three evaluators based on the following five-point evaluation criteria. The evaluation results, based on the discussion of the three evaluators, are shown in Table 4.

[0096] <Gum pain during and after use> 5: Feel pain 4: Slight pain 3: I can't say either way. 2: Slightly no pain 1: No pain

[0097] <Ease of massage> 5: Difficult to massage 4: Somewhat difficult to massage 3: I can't say either way. 2: Somewhat easy to massage 1: Easy to massage

[0098] <It feels like something I can continue for a long time> 5: Difficult to continue for a long time 4: Somewhat difficult to continue for a long time 3: I can't say either way. 2: It's relatively easy to continue for a longer period of time. 1: Easy to continue for a long time

[0099] <How easily oral compositions drip> 5: Prone to dripping 4: Slightly prone to drooping 3: I can't say either way. 2: Slightly less likely to drip 1: Less likely to drip

[0100] <Slipperiness of oral compositions> 5: Non-slip 4: Slightly slippery 3: I can't say either way. 2: Slightly slippery 1: Slippery

[0101] [Evaluation based on the vertical force (brushing stress) applied to the brush head during brushing] First, approximately 1 g of a 2:1 diluted oral composition sample was placed on a 1 mm thick silicone rubber placed on a force sensor. Next, the brush sample was attached to the brushing section of a brushing machine, and the vertical force (brushing stress) applied to the head of the brush sample when it was brushed was measured by the sensor. Then, from the obtained time-series data of brushing stress, the slope (rate of change (Fz)) of the maximum brushing stress obtained at the point of brush return was calculated. The combinations of brush samples and oral compositions are as shown in Table 5. Figure 13 shows the time-series data of brushing stress when the oral composition sample was placed on the brush sample and brushed. The smaller the absolute value of the rate of change of brushing stress (Fz), the less force is applied to the gums during brushing. The conditions for the brushing machine were set as follows: Load 200gf (1.96N) Stroke width 30mm Stroke speed 60 rpm Number of strokes: 30

[0102] [Table 4]

[0103] [Table 5]

[0104] According to the evaluation results shown in Table 4, Examples 1 to 7, which used a brush sample with a bristle tip ratio of 2 to 100 and an oral composition sample with a G' ratio of 0.5 to 5, received better evaluations than Comparative Examples 1 to 3, which used samples with a bristle tip ratio and / or a G' ratio outside the specified range, in terms of gum pain during and after use, ease of massage, feeling of being able to continue brushing for a long time, ease of dripping of the oral composition, and slipperiness of the oral composition. As can be seen from the results in Table 5, Examples 1 and 5 had smaller absolute values ​​of the rate of change of brushing stress (Fz) compared to Comparative Examples 1 and 2, indicating that less force was applied to the gums during brushing. The results above demonstrate that by using a brush sample with a bristle tip ratio of 2 to 100 in combination with an oral composition sample having a G' ratio of 0.5 to 5, it is possible to massage the gums gently for an extended period without damaging them. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0105] 10 Massage brushes 11 Brush body 12 Head section 12a Hair implantation surface 13 Gripping part 14 Neck 15 Flocking hole 16 strands of hair 17 Bristle 17a Bristle with the longest pile 17b Lowest pile length bristle 18. Flat Line h hair length s Height difference B Brush width L brush length t thickness

Claims

1. An oral care set comprising a massage brush and an oral composition, The massage brush comprises a brush body having a head portion, a gripping portion, and a neck portion connecting the head portion and the gripping portion. Multiple bundles of bristles are each implanted in the bristle holes formed in the head portion. The massage brush has a bristle implantation area where the area inside the imaginary ring formed by connecting the outer edges of the bristle implantation holes located on the outermost periphery is defined, and the surface area of ​​the bristle tip is defined as the surface area of ​​the bristle tip within 1.5 mm from the bristle tip. The bristle tip ratio, which is the sum of the surface areas of the bristle tips per unit area of ​​the bristle implantation area, is 32.4 or more and 100 or less. The oral composition has a dynamic viscoelasticity measurement such that the ratio of the storage modulus at a strain of 0.01% to the storage modulus at a strain of 1.0% is 0.5 or more and 5 or less. The oral care set wherein the oral composition contains granules of 8% by mass or less.

2. The oral care set according to claim 1, wherein the oral composition has a storage modulus and a loss modulus obtained by dynamic viscoelasticity measurement that intersect at a strain of 4% or more and 1000% or less.

3. The oral care set according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the bristle includes a tapered bristle having a tapered portion whose cross-sectional area decreases towards the tip.

4. The oral care set according to claim 3, wherein the bristle has a plurality of branched tip bristles in the tapered portion.

5. The aforementioned massage brush has a bristle buckling strength of 60 N / cm when measured using the measurement method described in JIS S3016-1995. ２ An oral care set according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the value is less than [amount missing].

6. The oral care set according to claim 1 or 2, wherein in each of the planted bristle bundles, the multiple bristles are planted with different bristle lengths such that the height difference between the shortest bristle and the longest bristle is between 1.5 mm and 5.0 mm.

7. The oral care set according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the oral composition contains 50% by mass or less of an abrasive containing a polyvalent metal.

8. The oral care set according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the oral composition contains 53% by mass or less of sugar alcohols.

9. The oral composition is (A) A higher alcohol having 12 to 22 carbon atoms, containing cetanol (a1) and / or stearyl alcohol (a2) (B) A surfactant containing one or more nonionic surfactants (b1) selected from sorbitan fatty acid esters and polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid esters, and (C) Water An oral care set according to claim 1 or 2, comprising the above.

10. The oral care set according to claim 9, wherein component (B) further contains an anionic surfactant (b2) which is a fatty acid or a salt thereof having 12 to 22 carbon atoms.

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