Intraoral device cleaning agent for effervescent tablets

Abstract

The purpose of the present disclosure is to provide an intraoral device cleaning agent for effervescent tablets, said cleaning agent containing isopropyl methylphenol and menthol, while being capable of suppressing the occurrence of sticking during tableting. An intraoral device cleaning agent for effervescent tablets according to the present disclosure is characterized by containing, (A) isopropyl methylphenol, (B) menthol, (C) at least one substance selected from the group consisting of malic acid and salts thereof, and (D) a foaming agent, wherein the content of component (C) is 0.1-3 wt%, and the foaming agent (D) is a combination of at least one carbonic acid compound selected from the group consisting of carbonates, hydrogen carbonates, and double salts of hydrogen carbonate and carbonate, and an acid other than malic acid.

Description

Oral appliance cleaner for effervescent tablets

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an oral instrument cleanser for effervescent tablets that can easily remove slime from oral instruments and suppress the occurrence of sticking during tableting.

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

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

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

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

[0006] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 63-101313 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 58-134014 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 57-142910 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 51-38415 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2008-179615

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

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

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

[0010] An object of the present disclosure is to provide an oral instrument cleanser for effervescent tablets that contains isopropylmethylphenol and menthol and yet can suppress the occurrence of sticking during tableting.

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

[0012] That is, the present disclosure provides the following aspects of the invention. Item 1. An intraoral instrument cleanser for effervescent tablets, comprising (A) isopropylmethylphenol, (B) menthol, (C) at least one selected from the group consisting of malic acid and its salts, and (D) an effervescent agent, wherein the content of component (C) is 0.1 to 3 wt %, and the effervescent agent (D) is a combination of at least one carbonate compound selected from the group consisting of carbonates, bicarbonates, and double salts of bicarbonates and carbonates, and an acid other than malic acid. Item 2. An intraoral instrument cleanser for effervescent tablets according to Item 1, wherein the intraoral instrument cleanser is a denture cleanser. Item 3. Item 3. A method for producing a tablet-shaped intraoral instrument cleanser, comprising subjecting a raw material mixture containing (A) isopropylmethylphenol, (B) menthol, (C) at least one selected from the group consisting of malic acid and salts thereof, and (D) an effervescent agent, wherein the content of component (C) is 0.1 to 3 wt %, and the effervescent agent (D) is a combination of at least one carbonate compound selected from the group consisting of carbonates, bicarbonates, and double salts of bicarbonates and carbonates, and an acid other than malic acid, to a tableting step. Item 4. A tablet-shaped intraoral instrument cleanser obtained from the intraoral instrument cleanser for effervescent tablets according to Item 1 or 2. Item 5. Item 5. Use of a composition comprising (A) isopropylmethylphenol, (B) menthol, (C) at least one selected from the group consisting of malic acid and its salts, and (D) an effervescent agent, wherein the content of component (C) is 0.1 to 3 wt %, and the effervescent agent (D) is a combination of at least one carbonate compound selected from the group consisting of carbonates, bicarbonates, and double salts of bicarbonate and carbonate, and an acid other than malic acid, as an intraoral instrument cleanser for effervescent tablets.Item 7. Use of a composition comprising (A) isopropylmethylphenol, (B) menthol, (C) at least one selected from the group consisting of malic acid and its salts, and (D) a foaming agent, wherein the content of component (C) is 0.1 to 3% by weight, and the foaming agent (D) is a combination of at least one carbonate compound selected from the group consisting of carbonates, bicarbonates, and double salts of bicarbonates and carbonates, and an acid other than malic acid, as a tablet-type intraoral instrument cleanser. Item 8. A method for cleaning an intraoral instrument, comprising immersing an intraoral instrument in water containing a tablet-shaped intraoral instrument cleaner comprising (A) isopropylmethylphenol, (B) menthol, (C) at least one selected from the group consisting of malic acid and its salts, and (D) a foaming agent, wherein the content of component (C) is 0.1 to 3 wt %, and the foaming agent (D) is a combination of at least one carbonate compound selected from the group consisting of carbonates, bicarbonates, and double salts of bicarbonates and carbonates, and an acid other than malic acid. Item 10. Use of a composition for producing an intraoral instrument cleanser for effervescent tablets, the composition comprising (A) isopropylmethylphenol, (B) menthol, (C) at least one selected from the group consisting of malic acid and its salts, and (D) an effervescent agent, wherein the content of component (C) is 0.1 to 3 wt %, and the effervescent agent (D) is a combination of at least one carbonate compound selected from the group consisting of carbonates, bicarbonates, and double salts of bicarbonate and carbonate, and an acid other than malic acid. Item 11. Use of a composition for producing an intraoral instrument cleanser in tablet form, the composition comprising (A) isopropylmethylphenol, (B) menthol, (C) at least one selected from the group consisting of malic acid and its salts, and (D) an effervescent agent, wherein the content of component (C) is 0.1 to 3 wt %, and the effervescent agent (D) is a combination of at least one carbonate compound selected from the group consisting of carbonates, bicarbonates, and double salts of bicarbonate and carbonate, and an acid other than malic acid.

[0013] The oral instrument cleanser for effervescent tablets of the present disclosure contains a combination of isopropylmethylphenol and menthol, thereby easily peeling off and removing slime from oral instruments. Cleaning oral instruments with the tablet-shaped oral instrument cleanser obtained by tableting with the oral instrument cleanser for effervescent tablets of the present disclosure reduces discomfort caused by slime on the oral instruments when manually reinserting the cleaned oral instruments and after reinserting them into the oral cavity. Furthermore, the oral instrument cleanser for effervescent tablets of the present disclosure can easily remove slime from oral instruments, thereby advantageously expanding the variety of oral instrument cleansers that are effective in removing slime from oral instruments. Furthermore, the oral instrument cleanser for effervescent tablets of the present disclosure contains isopropylmethylphenol and menthol, but also at least one selected from the group consisting of malic acid and its salts. This prevents sticking during tableting and reduces production losses in the tableting process, thereby achieving high production efficiency in industrial production.

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

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

[0016] 1. Oral Instrument Cleanser for Effervescent Tablets The oral instrument cleanser for effervescent tablets of the present disclosure (hereinafter also referred to simply as "oral instrument cleanser") comprises (A) isopropylmethylphenol (hereinafter sometimes referred to as component (A)), (B) menthol (hereinafter sometimes referred to as component (B)), (C) at least one compound selected from the group consisting of malic acid and its salts (hereinafter sometimes referred to as component (C)), and (D) an effervescent agent (hereinafter sometimes referred to as component (D)), wherein the content of component (C) is 0.1 to 3 wt %, and the effervescent agent (D) is a combination of at least one carbonate compound selected from the group consisting of carbonates, bicarbonates, and double salts of bicarbonates and carbonates, and an acid other than malic acid. The oral instrument cleanser of the present disclosure is described in detail below.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[0024] In the intraoral instrument cleanser of the present disclosure, the content of component (C) is 0.1 to 3% by weight from the viewpoint of effectively suppressing the occurrence of sticking during tableting, and is preferably 0.5 to 2% by weight from the viewpoint of more effectively suppressing the occurrence of sticking during tableting.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[0033] (Bleaching Agent) The intraoral instrument cleanser of the present disclosure preferably contains a bleaching agent. By including a bleaching agent, cleaning power can be improved and slime on the intraoral instruments can be removed more effectively.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[0058] 2. Formulation and Manufacturing Method of the Oral Instrument Cleanser The tablet-shaped oral instrument cleanser of the present disclosure can be obtained by tableting using the oral instrument cleanser for effervescent tablets of the present disclosure. Tablet formulation can be performed using a commonly used tableting method. For example, a raw material mixture containing components (A) to (D) and other additives, if necessary, can be subjected to a tableting process. The oral instrument cleanser for effervescent tablets of the present disclosure contains component (C) in addition to components (A) and (B), thereby suppressing sticking during tableting and reducing production loss in the tableting process, thereby achieving high production efficiency in industrial production. Furthermore, the mixture may be granulated as needed prior to the tableting process.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[0068] Test Example 1 (Evaluation of Sticking) The components shown in Tables 1 and 2 were mixed using a Lödige mixer (Matsubo Co., Ltd., model number: M20) to form a composition, which was then tableted at a pressure of 5 t using a 20φ diameter mold and a tableting machine (Kikusui Seisakusho Co., Ltd., rotary powder molding machine, model number: CLEC1518SS7JZ) to prepare tablet-shaped oral instrument cleansers weighing 2 g per tablet. Three sets of mortars and pestles were evenly spaced on the turntable of the tableting machine, and after continuously tableting 100 tablets of oral instrument cleansers, the mortars and pestles were observed and the number of sets of mortars and pestles in which sticking occurred in either the mortar or the pestle was counted. The results are shown in Tables 1 and 2.

[0069]

[0070]

[0071] As shown in Tables 1 and 2, when malic acid was added to an intraoral instrument cleanser containing isopropylmethylphenol and l-menthol, sticking was effectively suppressed (Examples 1 to 4). On the other hand, when malic acid was not added to an intraoral instrument cleanser containing isopropylmethylphenol and l-menthol, sticking was observed (Comparative Examples 1 to 6).

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

[0073] The tablet-shaped intraoral instrument cleansers prepared in Examples 5 to 10 and Comparative Examples 7 to 12 were subjected to a slime removal test by the following method.

[0074] <Slime Removal Test> (1) Preparation of Resin Chips with Biofilms 5 ml of TSB (Tryptic Soy Broth) medium was placed in a 15 mL tube, and Streptococcus mutans (NBRC13955) was inoculated and cultured at 35 ° C for 1-2 days. The resulting culture was then suspended in TSB medium to prepare a Streptococcus mutans suspension with an OD at 600 nm adjusted to 1.05-1.10. Separately, Candida albicans (NBRC1595) was inoculated into PDA medium (potato dextrose agar medium) and cultured at 35 ° C for 1-2 days. The Candida albicans cultured after cultivation was recovered and suspended in TSB medium to prepare a Candida albicans suspension with an OD at 600 nm adjusted to 1.45-1.50. The obtained Streptococcus mutans suspension and Candida albicans suspension were mixed in a volume ratio of 1:1 to prepare a bacterial suspension.

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

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

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

[0078] (3) Evaluation of Slime Removal Ability of Resin Chips After Cleaning Five evaluators washed their index fingers with ethanol. Then, they gently rubbed the surface of the resin chip with the biofilm attached before cleaning in a circular motion with their index fingers. Based on the evaluation criteria shown in the diagram below, the ease of slime removal was evaluated using a 9-point scale with increments of 1, with "1" representing "no slime" and "9" representing "does not come off no matter how many times it is rubbed." All five evaluators gave a score of 9. Next, the ease of biofilm removal on the resin chips (reference samples) cleaned with the intraoral instrument cleaner prepared in Reference Example 2 was evaluated in the same manner as above, and the average of the five evaluations (average of the reference samples) was calculated. Then, the ease of biofilm removal on the resin chips (evaluation samples) cleaned with the intraoral instrument cleaners prepared in Examples 5 to 10 and Comparative Examples 7 to 12 was evaluated in the same manner as above, and the average of the five evaluations (average of the evaluation samples) was calculated.

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

[0080]

[0081] The results in Table 3 confirm that the intraoral instrument cleansers prepared in Examples 5 and 6, which contain both isopropylmethylphenol and l-menthol, and the intraoral instrument cleansers prepared in Examples 7 to 10, which contain isopropylmethylphenol, l-menthol, and DL-malic acid, are superior in slime removal properties and can more easily remove slime than the intraoral instrument cleansers prepared in Comparative Examples 7 to 12, which contain either isopropylmethylphenol or l-menthol alone.

[0082] Furthermore, when the slime removal test was performed using ethylene vinyl acetate chips or copolymer polyester chips, which are mouthpiece and retainer materials, instead of the resin chips, which are denture materials, the same results were obtained. That is, it was confirmed that the intraoral instrument cleansers prepared in Examples 5 to 10 were superior in slime removal ability and could more easily remove slime, even for mouthpiece and retainer materials, compared to the intraoral instrument cleansers prepared in Comparative Examples 7 to 12.

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

[0084]

Claims

1. An oral appliance cleaner in the form of a foaming tablet, comprising: (A) isopropylmethylphenol; (B) menthol; (C) at least one selected from the group consisting of malic acid and its salts; and (D) a foaming agent, wherein the content of the component (C) is 0.1 to 3% by weight, and the foaming agent (D) is a combination of at least one carbonate compound selected from the group consisting of carbonates, bicarbonates, and double salts of bicarbonates and carbonates, and an acid other than malic acid.

2. The oral appliance cleaner for a foaming tablet according to claim 1, wherein the oral appliance cleaner is a denture cleaner.

3. A method for producing a tablet-shaped oral appliance cleaner, comprising subjecting a raw material mixture comprising: (A) isopropylmethylphenol; (B) menthol; (C) at least one selected from the group consisting of malic acid and its salts; and (D) a foaming agent, wherein the content of the component (C) is 0.1 to 3% by weight, and the foaming agent (D) is a combination of at least one carbonate compound selected from the group consisting of carbonates, bicarbonates, and double salts of bicarbonates and carbonates, and an acid other than malic acid, to a tableting process.

4. A tablet-shaped oral appliance cleaner obtained from the oral appliance cleaner for a foaming tablet according to claim 1 or 2.

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