Teeth whitening kit

Abstract

To provide a method of tooth whitening that can strike a balance between securing safety and reduction in treatment time.SOLUTION: A method for whitening teeth of a patient within the living body includes the steps of: creating a whitening composition by mixing hydrogen peroxide with urea peroxide; applying the whitening composition to at least one tooth; and exposing the whitening composition of the tooth to action light, where the step of applying the whitening composition for the tooth is conducted only once.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for whitening teeth and a kit that can be used for whitening.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, the demand for tooth whitening has been increasing for purposes such as improving the impression of appearance. Generally, tooth whitening methods include bleaching methods that bleach teeth using bleaching agents such as hydrogen peroxide and urea peroxide. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for simultaneously performing tooth etching and bleaching using a bleaching agent obtained by mixing hydrogen peroxide solution and orthophosphoric acid (see Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in the tooth whitening method using hydrogen peroxide, the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide is fast and the tooth bleaching effect is lost, so it is necessary to reapply the bleaching agent many times. Hydrogen peroxide is highly irritating, and in order to ensure safety, it is necessary to pay attention to prevent the bleaching agent from contacting the gums. However, the operation of reapplying the bleaching agent many times not only involves risks but also increases the treatment cost.

[0005] In addition, although urea peroxide has lower irritation compared to hydrogen peroxide, it has a problem that its bleaching performance in the treatment for the same time is lower than that of hydrogen peroxide and the treatment time becomes longer.

[0006] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a tooth whitening method that can achieve both ensuring safety and shortening the treatment time. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To achieve the above objective, the teeth whitening method of the present invention is: A method for whitening a patient's teeth in vivo, comprising the steps of: mixing hydrogen peroxide and carbamide peroxide to create a whitening composition; applying the whitening composition to at least one tooth; and exposing the tooth whitening composition to a working light, wherein the step of applying the tooth whitening composition is performed only once. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to one embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to provide a teeth whitening method that can achieve both safety and a reduction in treatment time. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is an example of a flowchart for a whitening method according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a photograph illustrating the condition of the oral cavity before and after whitening, when the working light is irradiated for 20 minutes, according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] This is a photograph illustrating the condition of the oral cavity before and after whitening, when the active light is irradiated for 30 minutes, according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] This is a photograph illustrating the condition of the oral cavity before and after whitening, when the active light is irradiated for 20 or 30 minutes, according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] This is a photograph illustrating the condition of the oral cavity before and after whitening, in order to confirm the effect of continuous irradiation with an action light according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] A tooth whitening method according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The tooth whitening method according to this embodiment can be used to whiten teeth that have been discolored by any substance or disease. For example, it can be applied to whiten discoloration caused by stains (e.g., tobacco, coffee, tea and / or food stains), bacteria, genetic predisposition, fluorosis, developmental disorders, trauma, pigments present during the tooth's growth stage, etc.

[0011] (Whitening methods) Figure 1 shows an example of a flowchart of the whitening method according to this embodiment.

[0012] As shown in Figure 1, the whitening method according to this embodiment is a method for whitening a patient's teeth in vivo. The steps include: (S100) mixing hydrogen peroxide and urea peroxide to prepare a whitening composition; The step of applying the whitening composition to at least one tooth (S120), The method comprises the step (S140) of exposing the teeth whitening composition to an action light.

[0013] The following provides a detailed explanation of each step.

[0014] The step of preparing a whitening composition (S100) is to prepare a teeth whitening composition by mixing at least hydrogen peroxide and carbamide peroxide.

[0015] Hydrogen peroxide is chemically decomposed, releasing reactive oxygen species (hydroxyl radicals). This chemical decomposition is activated by exposure to light and heat. The released reactive oxygen species penetrate the enamel and act only on coloring substances (organic matter), thus whitening teeth without altering the structure of the dentin.

[0016] In addition, urea peroxide decomposes into urea and hydrogen peroxide in the oral cavity, and the hydrogen peroxide generated by the decomposition releases active oxygen as described above, so the teeth can be whitened.

[0017] In tooth whitening using hydrogen peroxide, hydrogen peroxide decomposes quickly, and usually the bleaching effect of the teeth disappears about 8 minutes after application, so it is necessary to reapply the bleaching agent many times. That is, it was necessary to repeat the application of the bleaching agent, the exposure to the actinic light, and the removal of the bleaching agent for several sets or more. Therefore, there was a problem that the operator had to continuously perform the treatment on one patient, resulting in a long chair time and high labor costs related to the technique.

[0018] On the other hand, whitening using urea peroxide has a problem that it takes time for the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide (for example, it takes about 2 hours for complete decomposition), resulting in a long treatment time.

[0019] As a result of earnestly researching the merits and demerits of hydrogen peroxide and urea peroxide, the present inventor has found that by using a whitening composition in which these are mixed, a sufficient whitening effect can be obtained by simply applying the whitening composition once, and the overall treatment time can be significantly shortened. In other words, in the initial stage of whitening (within about 10 minutes from the application of the whitening composition), a whitening effect mainly derived from hydrogen peroxide can be obtained, and in the middle to late stages of whitening (from about 10 minutes after the application of the whitening composition until the end of the treatment), it has been found that a whitening effect mainly derived from hydrogen peroxide decomposed from urea peroxide can be obtained.

[0020] In the whitening composition of this embodiment, the mixing ratio of hydrogen peroxide and urea peroxide is preferably within the range of 48 to 52 (30% hydrogen peroxide composition: 32% urea peroxide composition, 1:1) to 16 to 84 (30% hydrogen peroxide composition: 32% urea peroxide composition, 1:5). By setting it within the above range, particularly within about 8 to 10 minutes from the application of the whitening composition, a whitening effect mainly derived from the mixed hydrogen peroxide can be obtained, and after about 10 minutes from the application of the whitening composition, a whitening effect mainly derived from urea peroxide can be obtained.

[0021] In this example, hydrogen peroxide with a concentration of 30% and urea peroxide with a concentration of 32% were used, but these concentrations are not limited to this, and appropriately, those with appropriate concentrations may be used and selected so as to be within the above concentration range.

[0022] Also, the tooth whitening composition may contain a known visible light-responsive photocatalyst. When the visible light-responsive photocatalyst is irradiated with light, a large amount of electrons are emitted. The emitted electrons can react with hydrogen peroxide to generate a large amount of active oxygen.

[0023] The tooth whitening composition may contain other components. For example, without limitation, it may contain known stabilizers (including pH regulators), thickeners, and gelling agents. The stabilizer can function to stabilize one or more drugs against reactions that occur naturally during the use and / or storage of the oxidizing agent, or undesirable reactions. The thickener is added to enhance the ease of applying the whitening composition to the teeth so that it can be more easily and uniformly applied. The gelling agent can reduce the discomfort of the patient by preventing the evaporation of the gel and improving the hydration state of the area of the teeth to which it is applied when exposed to the acting light.

[0024] In this embodiment, the concentration of hydrogen peroxide in the teeth whitening composition (theoretical effective concentration including hydrogen peroxide derived from urea peroxide) was kept within the range of 21.33% to 5.95%.

[0025] The step of applying the whitening composition (S120) is to apply the prepared whitening composition to the surface of at least one of the patient's teeth, preferably any number of teeth the patient wants to whiten.

[0026] The method for applying the whitening composition to the patient's teeth is not particularly limited, and any known method for applying a whitening composition can be used. For example, the whitening composition may be applied directly to the patient's teeth using a known application tool, or the whitening composition may be applied to the inside of a known mouthpiece, and the patient may wear the mouthpiece to apply the whitening composition to their teeth.

[0027] The step of exposing the whitening composition to the working light (S140) is to expose the composition to the working light in order to accelerate the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide and urea peroxide and the generation of reactive oxygen species.

[0028] The light source for the working light is not particularly limited, and any known light source can be used as appropriate, but for example, LED light sources, halogen light sources, metal halide light sources, xenon light sources, etc. are preferably used.

[0029] The exposure time to the working light is preferably 15 to 40 minutes. When the whitening composition is exposed to the working light immediately after application, by keeping the exposure time within the above range, a whitening effect mainly derived from the mixed hydrogen peroxide can be obtained for approximately 8 to 10 minutes after exposure to the working light, and a whitening effect mainly derived from carbamide peroxide can be obtained from about 10 minutes after exposure to the working light.

[0030] In conventional teeth whitening methods, teeth are exposed to the active light multiple times, and the teeth whitening composition is applied again before each exposure to the active light. However, in the teeth whitening method according to this embodiment, the step of applying the teeth whitening composition only needs to be performed once. As a result, there is no need to reapply the whitening composition multiple times, and exposure to the active light is performed by continuous irradiation. Therefore, labor costs related to the procedure can be reduced, and the total treatment time can be shortened. In the teeth whitening method according to this embodiment, the teeth whitening composition is effective with only one application, but of course, multiple applications may be performed.

[0031] (Whitening kit) The present invention provides a whitening kit for carrying out the whitening method according to the present embodiment. The whitening kit according to the present embodiment includes a composition containing hydrogen peroxide and a composition containing urea peroxide.

[0032] In one embodiment, the composition containing hydrogen peroxide and the composition containing urea peroxide are not mixed, and optionally, a tool for mixing these compositions may be included.

[0033] Furthermore, the whitening kit according to this embodiment includes a preferred mixing ratio of a composition containing hydrogen peroxide and a composition containing carbamide peroxide for obtaining a whitening effect, as well as instructions for use to determine the exposure time for exposing the whitening composition to the working light. In addition, the whitening kit according to this embodiment includes an application tool. Furthermore, the whitening kit according to this embodiment may include a light source for the working light.

[0034] (Example 1) Two female patients in their 20s had their teeth cleaned using a commercially available tooth cleaning agent. Then, petroleum jelly was applied to their lips to moisturize them, and lip retractors were fitted to protect (remove) the lips. The gums and tooth surfaces were then dried using cotton, the gum area was covered with gingival protection resin, and cured by irradiating with a dental polymerization light curing unit for approximately 15 seconds.

[0035] Whitening compositions for Formulation Examples 1 to 3 were prepared by mixing urea peroxide (32% concentration) and hydrogen peroxide (30% concentration) in a ratio of 5:1 (Formulation Example 1), 3:1 (Formulation Example 2), and 1:1 (Formulation Example 3).

[0036] Subsequently, the prepared whitening composition was applied to a mouthpiece and placed in the patient's mouth, and the patient was exposed to a light source (Beyond Porous: manufactured by JBA Corporation) for 20 or 30 minutes.

[0037] After the irradiation of the working light was complete, the retractor, mouthpiece, and cotton swab were promptly removed from the mouth, and the mouth was rinsed. Furthermore, the gingival protective resin remaining on the gums was removed, the mouth was rinsed again, and finally, the mouth was rinsed with a fluoride mouthwash to confirm that no foreign matter remained in the mouth, thus completing the whitening procedure.

[0038] Figure 2 shows photographs illustrating the condition of the oral cavity before and after whitening when the active light is irradiated for 20 minutes. Figure 3 shows photographs illustrating the condition of the oral cavity before and after whitening when the active light is irradiated for 30 minutes. Furthermore, Figure 4 shows photographs illustrating the condition of the oral cavity before and after whitening when the active light is irradiated for 20 minutes or 30 minutes. Note that the upper images in Figures 2 to 4 show the condition of the oral cavity before whitening, and the lower images in Figures 2 to 4 show the condition of the oral cavity after whitening. In addition, the right teeth (left teeth in the diagrams) in Figures 2 and 3 have been treated with the whitening composition of Formulation Example 1, and the left teeth (right teeth in the diagrams) in Figures 2 and 3 have been treated with the whitening composition of Formulation Example 3. Furthermore, the right tooth in Figure 4 (the tooth on the left in the diagram) shows the result after applying the whitening composition of Formulation Example 3 and exposing it to the working light for 20 minutes, while the left tooth in Figure 4 (the tooth on the right in the diagram) shows the result after applying the whitening composition of Formulation Example 3 and exposing it to the working light for 30 minutes.

[0039] Furthermore, regarding the patients' teeth before and after whitening, the upper central incisors were visually evaluated to determine which hue (A, B, C, D, or W series) they corresponded to on the Vita Shade Guide, a tooth color reference chart. In Figure 2, both the right and left central incisors were A1 before whitening, while both were W1 after treatment with the whitening method according to this embodiment. Similarly, in Figure 3, both the right and left central incisors were A1 before whitening, while both were W1 after treatment with the whitening method according to this embodiment. Moreover, in Figure 4, the right central incisor was C1 before whitening, while both were W3 after treatment with the whitening method according to this embodiment. Furthermore, in Figure 4, the left central incisor was C2 before whitening, while both were W3 after treatment with the whitening method according to this embodiment.

[0040] The results shown in Figures 2 to 4, and the results from the Vita Shade Guide, demonstrate that the whitening method according to this embodiment can reliably whiten a patient's teeth. Furthermore, formulations containing a higher concentration of hydrogen peroxide showed a greater teeth whitening effect. Additionally, a comparison of Figures 2 and 3, and a comparison of the right and left teeth in Figure 4, confirmed that even with prolonged exposure to the active light, the whitening effect of the whitening composition was not lost after a single application.

[0041] From the results above, it was found that the whitening method according to this embodiment can achieve a sufficient whitening effect by applying the whitening composition only once, and can also significantly reduce the overall treatment time.

[0042] (Example 2) To confirm that a sufficient whitening effect can be obtained with just one application of the whitening composition, the following whitening effects were investigated using four extracted human teeth.

[0043] After cleaning the extracted human teeth, the whitening composition of Formulation Example 3 described above was applied. Immediately afterward, the teeth were irradiated with light (20 minutes of continuous irradiation, 30 minutes of continuous irradiation, 10 minutes of irradiation three times, and 15 minutes of irradiation twice). When irradiating with light multiple times, the whitening composition was removed and reapplied before irradiation.

[0044] Figure 5 shows photographs illustrating the condition of the oral cavity before and after whitening, to confirm the effect of continuous irradiation with a working light according to one embodiment of the present invention. The lower part of Figure 5 shows the condition of the extracted tooth before the whitening method was performed, and the upper part shows the condition of the extracted tooth after the whitening method was performed. The irradiation conditions of the working light in Figure 5 were, from left to right, 20 minutes of continuous irradiation, 30 minutes of continuous irradiation, 10 minutes of irradiation x 3 times, and 15 minutes of irradiation x 2 times.

[0045] Human extracted teeth before and after whitening were visually evaluated to determine which hue (A, B, C, D, or W series) they corresponded to on the Vita Shade Guide, a tooth color reference chart. The hue changed from B4 to A2 (20 minutes of continuous irradiation), A3.5 to A1 (30 minutes of continuous irradiation), A3.5 to A2 (10 minutes of irradiation x 3 times), and B4 to B2 (15 minutes of irradiation x 2 times) from before whitening to after whitening.

[0046] Figure 5 and the results from the Vita Shade Guide show that the whitening effect increases with longer overall exposure time to the active light, and that the whitening effect increases with longer continuous irradiation time. In other words, in conventional whitening, teeth are exposed to the active light multiple times, and a new whitening composition is applied to the teeth before each exposure to the active light. However, in the whitening method according to this embodiment, it was found that a high whitening effect is achieved even though the step of applying the whitening composition to the teeth is only performed once. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0047] Steps to create the S100 whitening composition Step of applying the S120 whitening composition. Step S140: Exposing the whitening composition to the working light.

Claims

1. A teeth whitening kit for performing a teeth whitening method comprising the steps of: mixing hydrogen peroxide and carbamide peroxide to create a whitening composition; applying the whitening composition to at least one tooth; and exposing the tooth whitening composition to a working light, wherein the step of applying the tooth whitening composition is performed only once. The whitening kit comprises a composition containing hydrogen peroxide, a composition containing urea peroxide, and an irradiation device for irradiating the whitening composition with the light. Includes, The concentration of urea peroxide in the whitening composition is in the range of 16% by weight to 80 / 3% by weight, and the mixing ratio of hydrogen peroxide to urea peroxide in the whitening composition is in the range of 48:52 to 16:

84. The light source of the irradiation device is selected from an LED light source, a halogen light source, a metal halide light source, and a xenon light source, and the exposure time to the working light in the step of exposure to the working light from the irradiation device is within the range of 15 minutes to 40 minutes. Whitening kit.

2. The invention includes a tool for mixing the hydrogen peroxide-containing composition with the carbamide peroxide-containing composition, a tool for applying the whitening composition, and instructions for determining the mixing ratio of the hydrogen peroxide-containing composition with the carbamide peroxide-containing composition to obtain a whitening effect, as well as the exposure time for exposing the whitening composition to the working light. The teeth whitening kit according to claim 1.

3. A method for operating a radiation device, comprising the step of having the radiation device emit an active light for the purpose of whitening the patient's teeth in vivo to a whitening composition comprising a composition containing hydrogen peroxide and a composition containing carbamide peroxide, which is applied to the patient's teeth only once, The concentration of urea peroxide in the whitening composition is in the range of 16% by weight to 80 / 3% by weight, and the mixing ratio of hydrogen peroxide to urea peroxide in the whitening composition is in the range of 48:52 to 16:

84. The light source of the radiation device is selected from LED light sources, halogen light sources, metal halide light sources, and xenon light sources, and the radiation time of the working light is within the range of 15 minutes to 40 minutes. How to operate the radiation device.

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