Teeth whitening wipes

Abstract

Disclosed herein are teeth whitening wipes comprising an absorbent tissue substrate made with bamboo fiber, wherein the absorbent tissue substrate is impregnated with a liquid oral care composition that comprises phytic acid or a salt thereof. Also disclosed herein are methods of whitening teeth by removing or preventing stains.

Description

14413-OO-WO-Ol-OCTEETH WHITENING WIPESCROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application claims the benefit of priority from Chinese Patent Application No. 202411242111.3, filed 5 September 2024, the contents of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.BACKGROUND

[0002] Many substances that individuals consume can stain or otherwise reduce the whiteness of teeth. Certain foods and fluids, as well as tobacco products, tend to stain the teeth, especially if consumed or used on a daily basis. It is often aesthetically desirable, however, for an individual’s teeth to appear as white as possible. Whiter teeth may provide an individual with greater personal confidence or improve appearance. As a result, there is a significant market demand for whiter teeth.

[0003] One way of achieving whiter teeth is through use of commercially available teeth whitening products. For example, oral care compositions can be applied to the oral cavity to whiten, clean, or maintain the aesthetics and health of the teeth, such as by removing or preventing stains and / or by whitening the surface of the teeth. There are a range of teeth whitening products including toothpastes, mouthwashes, gels, trays, and strips, as well as professional treatments.

[0004] Many commercial teeth whitening products are not convenient for on-the-go use, often requiring proximity to a home or office water source for brushing or using a mouthwash. In addition, many consumers do not prefer professional treatments due to the expense and time commitment involved.

[0005] There remains a need in the art for commercial teeth whitening products that are portable and convenient for use in and out of the home.BRIEF SUMMARY

[0006] This summary is intended merely to introduce a simplified summary of some embodiments of one or more implementations of the present disclosure. Further areas of applicability of the present disclosure will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. This summary is not an extensive overview, nor is it intended to identify all elements of the present teachings, nor to delineate the scope of the disclosure. Rather, its purpose is merely to present one or more concepts in simplified form as a prelude to the detailed description below.14413-OO-WO-Ol-OC

[0007] In certain embodiments, there is provided a teeth whitening wipe, which comprises: an absorbent tissue substrate comprising bamboo fiber; and a liquid oral care composition; wherein the absorbent tissue substrate is impregnated with the liquid oral care composition; and wherein the liquid oral care composition comprises phytic acid or a salt thereof.

[0008] The absorbent tissue substrate may comprise, for example, bamboo fiber in an amount of at least about 80 wt%, such as at least about 90 wt%, such as at least about 95 wt%, such as at least 98%, or in amount of about 100 wt%, based on the weight of the absorbent tissue substrate. In certain embodiments, the absorbent tissue substate is embossed or otherwise textured with a raised or recessed pattern.

[0009] In further embodiments, the weight of the liquid oral care composition in the teeth whitening wipe is at least the weight of the absorbent tissue substrate, such as at least about two times the weight of the absorbent tissue substrate, or such as at least about three times the weight of the absorbent tissue substrate.

[0010] The liquid oral care composition can be in the form, for example, of an aqueous solution, and may comprise phytic acid, a salt of phytic acid, or a combination thereof. Salts of phytic acid include, for instance, alkali metal salts, alkaline earth metal salts, and ammonium salts of phytic acid. Exemplary salts of phytic acid include sodium phytate and potassium phytate. In some embodiments, the liquid oral care composition comprises the phytic acid or salt thereof in an amount ranging from about 0.1 wt% to about 5 wt%, such as from about 0.3 wt% to about 3 wt%, or such as from about 0.5 wt% to about 1.5 wt%, based on the total weight of the liquid oral care composition.

[0011] In additional embodiments of the teeth whitening wipes of the disclosure, the liquid oral care composition further comprises a zinc ion source (such as zinc citrate trihydrate), a fluoride ion source (such as sodium fluoride), an anti-calculus agents (such as tetrasodium pyrophosphate or tetrapotassium pyrophosphate), or a combination thereof. In further embodiments, the liquid oral care composition does not comprise hydrogen peroxide.

[0012] A further embodiment of the disclosure includes a method for whitening teeth, which comprises contacting the teeth of a subject in need thereof with the teeth whitening wipe described herein. Such a method could include, for example, contacting the teeth of the subject with the teeth14413-OO-WO-Ol-OC whitening wipe for about 2 seconds to about 30 seconds, such as for about 5 seconds to about 15 seconds. The method may also comprise contacting the teeth of the subject with the teeth whitening wipe at least once a day, such as at least twice a day, or such as at least three times a day.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] The features and advantages of the disclosure will be apparent from the following more detailed description of certain embodiments and as illustrated in the accompanying Figures in which:

[0014] FIG. 1 is a bar graph illustrating the average AW value obtained with a teeth whitening wipe of the disclosure having a flat pattern compared to a control before and after brushing over various periods of time.

[0015] FIG. 2 is a bar graph illustrating the average AW value obtained with a teeth whitening wipe of the disclosure having an embossed pearl pattern compared to a control before and after brushing over various periods of time.

[0016] FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary absorbent tissue substrate embossed with a pearl pattern.

[0017] It should be understood that the disclosure is not limited to the particular embodiments and results shown in the Figures.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0018] For illustrative purposes, the principles of the present disclosure are described by referencing various exemplary embodiments thereof. Although certain embodiments of the disclosure are specifically described herein, one of ordinary skill in the art will readily recognize that the same principles are equally applicable to, and can be employed in, other compositions and methods. Before explaining various embodiments of the present disclosure in detail, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited in its application to the details of any particular embodiments disclosed herein. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

[0019] As used herein and in the appended claims, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” include plural references unless the context dictates otherwise. The singular form of any class of the ingredients refers not only to one chemical species within that class, but also to a mixture of those chemical species. The terms “a” (or “an”), “one or more” and “at least one” may be used interchangeably herein. The terms “comprising”, “including”, and “having” may be used14413-OO-WO-Ol-OC interchangeably. The term “include” should be interpreted as “include, but are not limited to”. The term “including” should be interpreted as “including, but arc not limited to”.

[0020] As used throughout, ranges are used as shorthand for describing each and every value that is within the range. It should be appreciated and understood that the description in a range format is merely for convenience and brevity, and should not be construed as an inflexible limitation on the scope of any embodiments or implementations disclosed herein. Accordingly, the disclosed range should be construed to have specifically disclosed all the possible subranges as well as individual numerical values within that range. Any value within the range can be selected as the terminus of the range. Thus, a range from 1-5, includes specifically 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, as well as subranges such as 2-5, 3-5, 2-3, 2-4, 1-4, etc.

[0021] The term “about” when referring to a number means any number within a range of 10% of the number. For example, the phrase “about 2 wt%” refers to a number between and including 1.8 wt% and 2.2 wt%.

[0022] The abbreviations and symbols as used herein, unless indicated otherwise, take their ordinary meaning. The abbreviation “wt%” means percent by weight. The symbol “°” refers to a temperature degree. The symbols “cm” and “mm” refer to centimeter and millimeter, respectively.

[0023] Any member in a list of species that are used to exemplify or define a genus may be mutually different from, or overlapping with, or a subset of, or equivalent to, or nearly the same as, or identical to, any other member of the list of species. Further, unless explicitly stated, such as when reciting a Markush group, the list of species that define or exemplify the genus is open, and it is given that other species may exist that define or exemplify the genus just as well as, or better than, any other species listed.

[0024] The phrases, “a mixture thereof,” “a combination thereof,” or a combination of two or more thereof’ do not require that the mixture include all of A, B, C, D, E, and F (although all of A, B,C, D, E, and F may be included). Rather, it indicates that a mixture of any two or more of A, B, C,D, E, and F can be included. In other words, it is equivalent to the phrase “one or more elements selected from the group consisting of A, B, C, D, E, F, and a mixture of any two or more of A, B, C, D, E, and F.” Likewise, the term “a salt thereof” also relates to “salts thereof.” Thus, where the disclosure refers to “an element selected from the group consisting of A, B, C, D, E, F, a salt thereof, and a mixture thereof,” it indicates that one or more of A, B, C, D, E, and F may be included, one or more of a salt of A, a salt of B, a salt of C, a salt of D, a salt of E, and a salt of F14413-00-WO-Ol-OC may be included, or a mixture of any two of A, B, C, D, E, F, a salt of A, a salt of B, a salt of C, a salt of D, a salt of E, and a salt of F may be included.

[0025] All components and elements positively set forth in this disclosure can be negatively excluded from the claims. In other words, the oral care compositions of the instant disclosure can be free or essentially free of all components and elements positively recited throughout the instant disclosure. In some instances, the oral care compositions of the present disclosure may be substantially free of non-incidental amounts of the ingredient(s) or compound(s) described herein. A non-incidental amount of an ingredient or compound is the amount of that ingredient or compound that is added into the oral care composition by itself. For example, an oral care composition may be substantially free of a non-incidental amount of an ingredient or compound, although such ingredient(s) or compound(s) may be present as part of a raw material that is included as a blend of two or more compounds.

[0026] Some of the various categories of components identified may overlap. In such cases where overlap may exist and the oral care composition includes both components (or the composition includes more than two components that overlap), an overlapping compound does not represent more than one component. For example, certain compounds may be characterized as both a humectant and a sweetener. If a particular oral care composition includes both a humectant and a sweetener (e.g., xylitol), the compound will serve only as either a humectant or a sweetener — not both.

[0027] An embodiment of the disclosure includes a teeth whitening wipe, which comprises: an absorbent tissue substrate comprising bamboo fiber; and a liquid oral care composition; wherein the absorbent tissue substrate is impregnated with the liquid oral care composition; and wherein the liquid oral care composition comprises phytic acid or a salt thereof.

[0028] As explained in this disclosure and demonstrated in the Examples, the liquid oral care composition comprising phytic acid or salt thereof in the teeth whitening wipes provides an efficacious whitening effect by removing or preventing stains. The bamboo fiber is a natural, sustainable and biodegradable material, advantageously making the teeth whitening wipe of the disclosure an environmentally responsible product for widespread consumer use. Furthermore, the form of the product as a wipe conveniently allows for easy portability and on-the-go use.14413-OO-WO-Ol-OC

[0029] The “absorbent tissue substrate” comprising bamboo fiber is a substrate in the form of a tissue with the ability to soak up a liquid. The absorbent tissue substrate should be sufficiently pliable and deformable such that it can be inserted in the oral cavity and conform to a shape that contacts the teeth without harm to the gums, cheek, lips, or tongue. In some embodiments of the disclosure, the absorbent tissue substrate comprises bamboo fiber in an amount of at least about 80 wt%, such as at least about 90 wt%, such as at least about 95 wt%, such as at least about 98%, or in amount of at least about 100 wt%, such as 100 wt%, based on the weight of the absorbent tissue substrate. In certain embodiments, the absorbent tissue substrate has a weight of from about 0.4 g to 1.0 g, such as from about 0.5 g to 0.8 g.

[0030] The absorbent tissue substrate may in some embodiments comprise materials in addition to bamboo fiber, such as at least one synthetic fiber or at least one other natural fiber. Exemplary synthetic fibers include, for example, rayon, acetate, polyester, aramid, acrylic, ingeo, olefin, regenerated cellulose, and polylactid fibers. Other exemplary natural fibers include, for example, lotus stem, cotton, banana pseudo stem, pineapple leaves, pineapple stem, deciduous wood, palm, abaca, coir, jute, flax, kapok, kenaf, hemp, modal, ramie, sisal, and soy protein fibers. In some embodiments, the absorbent tissue substrate comprises non-woven materials, such as non-woven bamboo fiber. In some embodiments, the absorbent tissue substrate does not comprise woven materials. For instance, in some embodiments the tissue substrate does not comprise woven bamboo fiber.

[0031] In some embodiments of the disclosure, the absorbent tissue substate is embossed with a raised or recessed pattern, corrugated, or otherwise textured on at least one surface. Such a property can increase the friction between the wipe and the teeth, thereby enhancing stain removal and whitening efficacy. FIG. 3 illustrates an example of a pearl pattern embossed on an absorbent tissue substrate. The absorbent tissue substrate can include a texture provided by the addition of pores that also gives the substrate a larger surface area.

[0032] In the teeth whitening wipe of the disclosure, the absorbent tissue substrate is impregnated with a liquid oral care composition. As used herein, the term “oral care composition” means a composition that is appropriate for delivery to the teeth and safe for contact with other oral surfaces. In some embodiments of the disclosure, the weight of liquid oral care composition in the teeth whitening wipe is at least the weight of the absorbent tissue substrate, such as at least about two times the weight of the absorbent tissue substrate, or such as at least about three times the14413-OO-WO-Ol-OC weight of the absorbent tissue substrate. In some embodiments, the absorbent tissue substrate is fully saturated with the oral care composition, or is saturated to a level of at least about 50%, about 60%, about 70%, about 75%, about 80%, about 85%, about 90%, or about 95%, of the saturation capacity of the absorbent tissue substrate, where “saturation capacity” is the total amount of the liquid that the substrate is able to absorb at 25 °C.

[0033] As used herein, the absorbent tissue substrate “impregnated” with the liquid oral care composition means that the liquid oral care composition is absorbed by the absorbent tissue substrate. The liquid oral care composition can be in the form of a solution, wherein the composition comprises a solvent in which other components of the composition are dissolved. The liquid oral care composition can alternatively be in the form of a suspension or emulsion, wherein one or more components of the composition are suspended in the liquid and not dissolved. In some embodiments, the liquid oral care composition is in the form of an aqueous solution, where the composition comprises water as a solvent.

[0034] The liquid oral care composition comprises phytic acid or a salt thereof. Phytic acid has the formula C6H18O24P6. Phytic acid is a six-fold dihydrogenphosphate ester of inositol, also called inositol hexaphosphate. The acid can be extracted from seeds, grains, cereals, legumes, nuts, and pollen. Phytic acid is also commercially available, such as in a 50 wt% solution in water.

[0035] In some embodiments of the disclosure, the liquid oral care composition comprises a salt of phytic acid. Exemplary salts of phytic acid include alkali metal salts, alkaline earth metal salts, and ammonium salts of phytic acid, such as sodium phytate or potassium phytate. The liquid oral care composition disclosed herein comprises the phytic acid or salt thereof in any appropriate amount, such as an amount ranging from about 0.1 wt% to about 5 wt%, such as from about 0.3 wt% to about 3 wt%, or such as from about 0.5 wt% to about 1.5 wt%, based on the total weight of the liquid oral care composition.

[0036] As discussed herein and in the Examples, the teeth whitening wipes of the disclosure may be used to whiten teeth by removing teeth stains or preventing the formation of stains on the teeth. In some embodiments, preventing the formation of stains on the teeth includes reducing the risk of developing stains on the teeth. In some embodiments, preventing the formation of stains on the teeth includes reducing the rate at which new stains form, reducing the rate at which existing stains worsen, or both.14413-OO-WO-Ol-OC

[0037] Whitening efficacy of the teeth whitening wipes may be measured by any means known to those of ordinary skill in the art. In certain embodiments, whitening efficacy may be measured using the L*, a*, b* color scale, e.g., using a SpectroShade comprising a spectrophotometer and a camera. In certain embodiments, whitening efficacy may be evaluated using the following formula, wherein AW indicates the change in whiteness of a surface (e.g., the teeth) as compared to an initial stalling value. A negative AW value indicates whiter teeth as compared to the initial starting value. The AW value may be calculated using the following formula:AW = V w t*reated - 1v vA b*aseline where a* represents greenness to redness, b* represents blueness to yellowness, and L* represents lightness.

[0038] Accordingly, disclosed herein are methods of whitening teeth using the teeth whitening wipes disclosed herein. In certain embodiments, the methods of whitening teeth as disclosed herein result in a AW value that is lower than about -0.25, such as lower than about -0.5, lower than about -0.75, lower than about -1.0, lower than about -1.25, or lower than about -1.5. In certain embodiments, the methods of whitening teeth as disclosed herein with the teeth whitening wipes comprising the oral care composition provide enhanced whitening efficacy as compared to a method that uses, as a control, an absorbent tissue substrate comprising bamboo fiber that is impregnated only with water, wherein the method provides a AW value that is at least about 0.1 lower than the AW value of the method using the control, such as a AW value that is at least about 0.2 lower, at least about 0.3 lower, at least about 0.4 lower, at least about 0.5 lower, at least about 0.6 lower, at about 0.7 lower, at least about 0.8 lower, at least about 0.9 lower, at least about 1.0 lower, at least about 1.1 lower, at least about 1.2 lower, at least about 1.3 lower, at least about 1.4 lower, or at least about 1.5 lower, as compared to the AW value of the method using the control.

[0039] In some embodiments, the oral care composition of the teeth whitening wipes of the disclosure further comprises additional ingredients as known in the art and as disclosed below.

[0040] These additional ingredients may include, but are not limited to, metal ion sources, fluoride ion sources, anti-calculus agents, humectants, emulsifiers, flavoring agents, sweeteners, antibacterial agents, colorants, pH adjusters, clean feel agents, anti- sensitivity agents, antioxidants, water, and combinations thereof. Such ingredients would be known to those skilled in the ail of14413-OO-WO-Ol-OC oral care. However, non-limiting examples of these ingredients are provided herein. Suitable components, such as those listed herein, may be included or excluded from the formulations for the oral care compositions depending on the specific combination of other ingredients and the form of the oral care compositions.

[0041] The ingredients for use in the compositions described herein should be orally acceptable. As used herein, “orally acceptable” may refer to any ingredient that is present in a composition as described in an amount and form which does not render the composition unsafe for use in the oral cavity.

[0042] In some embodiments, the oral care compositions further comprise one or more metal ion sources, such as a zinc ion source or a copper ion source. For example, in certain embodiments, the oral care composition comprises a zinc ion source selected from zinc oxide, zinc citrate, zinc lactate, zinc phosphate, and combinations thereof. In certain embodiments, the metal ion source is zinc citrate trihydrate. In certain embodiments, the one or more metal ion sources (e.g., zinc citrate trihydrate) are present in an amount ranging from about 0.1 wt% to about 5 wt%, such as about 0.2 wt% to about 1 wt%, by weight based on the total weight of the oral care composition.

[0043] In some embodiments, the oral care compositions further comprise one or more fluoride ion sources. A fluoride ion source may be useful, for example, as an anti-caries agent. The fluoride ion sources may be selected from any fluoride ion source known in the art, including, for example, sodium fluoride, potassium fluoride, stannous fluoride, sodium fluorosilicate, ammonium fluorosilicate, potassium monofluorophosphate, sodium monolluorophosphate, ammonium monofluorophosphate, indium fluoride, amine fluoride such as N'-octadecyltrimethylendiamine- N,N,N'-tris(2-ethanol)-dihydrofhioride (i.e., olaflur) or N-octadeca-9-enylamine hydrofluoride (i.e., dectaflur), ammonium fluoride, titanium fluoride, hexafluorosulfate, and combinations thereof.

[0044] The one or more fluoride ion sources may be present in an amount providing a clinically efficacious amount of total soluble fluoride ion to the oral care composition. In some embodiments, the one or more fluoride ion sources (e.g., sodium fluoride) may be present in the oral care composition in an amount ranging from about 0.005 wt% to about 5 wt%, such as from about 0.01 wt% to about 0.1 wt%, based on the total weight of the oral care composition. In certain embodiments, the total fluoride content of the oral care composition, including that contributed by any stannous fluoride present, ranges from about 25 ppm to about 25,000 ppm.14413-OO-WO-Ol-OC

[0045] In some embodiments, the oral care compositions further comprise one or more anticalculus agents. Illustrative anticalculus agents include, but arc not limited to, phosphates and polyphosphates, polyaminopropane sulfonic acid (AM PS), polyolefin sulfonates, polyolefin phosphates, diphosphonates such as azacycloalkane-2, 2-diphosphonates (e.g., azacycloheptane- 2,2-diphosphonic acid), N-methyl azacyclopentane-2,3-diphosphonic acid, ethane- 1 -hydroxy- 1,1- diphosphonic acid (EHDP) and ethane- 1 -amino- 1,1 -diphosphonate, and phosphonoalkane carboxylic acids. Useful inorganic phosphate and polyphosphate salts include monobasic, dibasic and tribasic sodium phosphates. Soluble pyrophosphates may be useful anti-calculus agents. The pyrophosphate salts can be any of the alkali metal pyrophosphate salts. In certain embodiments, salts include tetra alkali metal pyrophosphate, dialkali metal diacid pyrophosphate, trialkali metal monoacid pyrophosphate and mixtures thereof, wherein the alkali metals are sodium or potassium. The pyrophosphates may also contribute to preservation of the compositions by lowering water activity. Exemplary pyrophosphates may include tetrasodium pyrophosphate (TSPP), tetrapotassium pyrophosphate, sodium tripolyphosphate, tetrapolyphosphate, sodium trimetaphosphate, sodium hexametaphosphate and mixtures thereof. The salts may be useful in both their hydrated and / or unhydrated forms. An effective amount of pyrophosphate salt that may be included in the oral care compositions disclosed herein is generally enough to provide least about 0.1 wt% pyrophosphate ions, e.g., from about 0.1 wt% to about 3 wt%, based on the total weight of the oral care composition.

[0046] In some embodiments, the oral care compositions further comprise one or more humectants. A humectant keeps oral care compositions from hardening upon exposure to air by reducing evaporation and / or contributing to preservation by lowering water activity. Certain humectants can also impart desirable sweetness or flavor to oral care compositions. In certain exemplary embodiments, the one or more humectants are selected from glycerin, sorbitol, xylitol, propylene glycol, as well as other polyols and combinations thereof. The one or more humectants may be present in the oral care composition in a combined total amount of, for example, from about 10 wt% to about 40 wt%, based on the total weight of the oral care composition.

[0047] In some embodiments, the oral care compositions further comprise one or more emulsifiers. Any emulsifier known in the art for oral care use may be incorporated, including for example, polyglyceryl-4 caprate, polyethylene glycol (PEG), PEG-40 hydrogenated castor oil, alkyl polyglucosides, polysorbates, and combinations thereof. In certain embodiments, the14413-OO-WO-Ol-OC emulsifier may be chosen from poloxamers (e.g., PLURONICS®) and other non-ionic emulsifiers. In certain embodiments, the emulsifier is polyglyccryl-4 caprate (TEGOSOFT® PC). The one or more emulsifiers may be present in the oral care composition in a combined total amount of, for example, from about 0.01 wt% to about 2 wt%, based on the total weight of the oral care composition.

[0048] In some embodiments, the oral care compositions further comprise one or more flavoring agents. Suitable flavoring agents include essential oils and various flavoring aldehydes, esters, alcohols, and similar materials. Examples of the essential oils include oils of spearmint, peppermint, wintergreen, sassafras, clove, sage, eucalyptus, marjoram, cinnamon, lemon, lime, grapefruit, and orange. Also useful are such chemicals as menthol, carvone, and anethole. Additional flavoring agents may include, but are not limited to menthol, artificial vanilla, cinnamon derivatives, and various fruit flavors, spearmint oil, peppermint oil, cinnamon oil, oil of wintergreen (methylsalicylate), clove oil, bay oil, anise oil, eucalyptus oil, thyme oil, cedar leaf oil, oil of nutmeg, oil of sage, oil of bitter almonds, cassia oil, and a combination of two or more thereof. The one or more flavoring agents may be present in the oral care composition in a combined total amount of, for example, from about 0.01 wt% to about 5 wt%, based on the total weight of the oral care composition.

[0049] In some embodiments, the oral care compositions further comprise one or more sweeteners useful, for example, to enhance taste of the composition. Sweeteners may include, but are not limited to, sucralose, maltodextrin, dextrose, polydextrose, sucrose, maltose, dextrin, dried invert sugar, mannose, xylose, ribose, fructose, levulose, galactose, sugar alcohols, such as sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, maltitol, and isomalt, aspartame, neotame, saccharin and salts thereof (e.g., sodium saccharin), gum arabic, dipeptide-based intense sweeteners, cyclamates, dihydrochalcones, or the like, or combinations thereof. The one or more sweeteners may be present in the oral care composition in a combined total amount of, for example, from about 0.1 wt% to about 5 wt%, based on the total weight of the oral care composition.

[0050] In some embodiments, the oral care compositions further comprise one or more antimicrobial agents and / or one or more preservatives, such as methylisothiazolinone (MIT), sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate, benzyl alcohol, and combinations thereof. In another example, the oral care composition may comprise one or more antibacterial agents selected from halogenated diphenyl ether (e.g., triclosan), herbal extracts and essential oils (e.g., rosemary14413-OO-WO-Ol-OC extract, tea extract, magnolia extract, thymol, menthol, eucalyptol, geraniol, carvacrol, citral, hinokitol, catechol, methyl salicylate, cpigallocatcchin gallate, cpigallocatcchin, gallic acid, miswak extract, sea-buckthorn extract), bisguanide antiseptics (e.g., chlorhexidine, alexidine or octenidine), quaternary ammonium compounds (e.g., cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC), benzalkonium chloride, tetradecylpyridinium chloride (TPC), N-tetradecyl-4-ethylpyridinium chloride (TDEPC)), phenolic antiseptics, hexetidine, octenidine, sanguinarine, povidone iodine, delmopinol, salifluor, other metal ions (e.g., stannous salts, copper salts, iron salts), sanguinarine, propolis and oxygenating agents (e.g., hydrogen peroxide, buffered sodium peroxyborate or peroxycarbonate), phthalic acid and its salts, monoperthalic acid and its salts and esters, ascorbyl stearate, oleoyl sarcosine, alkyl sulfate, dioctyl sulfosuccinate, salicylanilide, domiphen bromide, delmopinol, octapinol, and other piperidino derivatives, nicin preparations, chlorite salts; and combinations of any of the foregoing.

[0051] The one or more antibacterial or preservative agents may optionally be present in the oral care composition in a combined total amount of, for example, from about 0.01 wt% to about 0.5 wt%, based on the total weight of the oral care composition.

[0052] In some embodiments, the oral care composition comprises one or more pH adjusters to increase or decrease the overall pH of the oral care composition. For example, one or more acids may be included to decrease the pH of the oral care composition. Examples of suitable acids for decreasing the pH of the oral care composition include, but are not limited to, citric acid, acetic acid, and the like. The oral care composition may include one or more bases, such as sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide and the like, to increase the pH of the oral care composition. Additional or alternative acids and bases that are suitable for adjusting the pH of the oral care composition are readily known to one of ordinary skill in the art. Sodium hydroxide may also be provided in the oral care composition to react with phytic acid and form sodium phytate in the oral care composition.

[0053] The amount of the pH adjuster in the oral care composition may be based on the desired pH of the final oral care composition and / or product. For example, the total amount of the pH adjuster may range from about 0.05 wt% to about 20 wt%, based on the total weight of the oral care composition.

[0054] The oral care compositions may have a pH from 4.5 to about 10, 4.5 to about 9, 4.5 to about 8, 4.5 to about 7, 4.5 to about 6; from about 5 to about 10, about 5 to about 9, about 5 to about 8,14413-00-WO-Ol-OC about 5 to about 7, about 5 to about 6; from about 6 to about 10, about 6 to about 9, about 6 to about 8, or about 6 to about 7; from about 7 to about 10, about 7 to about 9, or about 7 to about 8, including any ranges and subranges therebetween.

[0055] In some embodiments, the oral care compositions further comprise one or more bicarbonate salts useful for example to impart a “clean feel” to teeth and gums due to effervescence and release of carbon dioxide. Any orally acceptable bicarbonate can be used, including without limitation alkali metal bicarbonates such as sodium and potassium bicarbonates, ammonium bicarbonate, and the like. The one or more bicarbonate salts may be present in the oral care composition in a combined total amount of, for example, from about 0.1 wt% to about 50 wt%, based on the total weight of the oral care composition.

[0056] In some embodiments, the oral care compositions further comprise one or more antisensitivity agents, e.g., potassium salts such as potassium nitrate, potassium bicarbonate, potassium chloride, potassium citrate, and potassium oxalate; capsaicin; eugenol; strontium salts; chloride salts and combinations thereof. The one or more antisensitivity agents may be present in the oral care composition in a combined total amount of, for example, from about 1 wt% to about 20 wt%, based on the total weight of the oral care composition.

[0057] In some embodiments, the oral care compositions further comprise one or more antioxidants. Any orally acceptable antioxidant can be used, including butylated hydroxy anisole (BHA), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), vitamin A, carotenoids, co-enzyme Q10, PQQ, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, anethole-dithiothione, flavonoids, polyphenols, ascorbic acid, herbal antioxidants, chlorophyll, melatonin, and mixtures thereof.

[0058] In some embodiments, the oral care compositions further comprise water. Water employed in the preparation of commercial oral care compositions should be deionized and free of organic impurities. Water commonly makes up the balance of the compositions and includes about 5 wt% to about 99 wt%, such as from about 10 wt% to about 90 wt%, from about 65 wt% to about 85 wt%, or about 70 wt% to about 80 wt%, or any range or subrange thereof, by weight based on the total weight of the oral care composition. This amount of water includes the free water that is added plus any amount of water that may be introduced with other materials, such as with sorbitol or silica or any components of the oral care composition disclosed herein. The Karl Fischer method is a one measure of calculating free water.14413-OO-WO-Ol-OC

[0059] In some embodiments, the oral care composition does not comprise a whitening agent in addition to the phytic acid or salt thereof. For example, in some embodiments the oral care composition does not comprise hydrogen peroxide. In further embodiments, the oral care composition does not comprise peroxides, metal chlorites, perborates, percarbonates, peroxyacids, hypochlorites, hydroxyapatite, hydrogen peroxide sources, e.g., urea peroxide or a peroxide salt or complex (e.g., such as peroxyphosphate, peroxycarbonate, perborate, peroxysilicate, or persulphate salts); for example, in certain embodiments, the oral care composition does not comprise calcium peroxyphosphate, sodium perborate, sodium carbonate peroxide, sodium peroxyphosphate, and potassium persulfate or hydrogen peroxide polymer complexes such as hydrogen peroxide-poly vinyl pyrrolidone polymer complexes. In some embodiments, the oral care composition does not comprise a copolymer of methyl vinyl ether and maleic anhydride.

[0060] Further embodiments include methods of using the teeth whitening wipes of the disclosure. An embodiment of the disclosure includes a method for whitening teeth, which comprises contacting the teeth of a subject in need thereof with a teeth whitening wipe of the disclosure. A subject’s teeth can be contacted with a teeth whitening wipe of the disclosure by, for example, grasping the wipe with one or more fingers, inserting the wipe into the oral cavity, and applying gentle pressure to the teeth with the wipe along any available surfaces of one or more teeth, optionally moving the wipe along any surfaces of the teeth during the period of contact.

[0061] As used herein, the term “subject” refers to individuals (e.g., human) to be treated by the methods or teeth whitening wipes of the present invention. Subjects include, but are not limited to, mammals (e.g., murines, simians, equines, bovines, porcines, canines, felines, and the like), and most preferably includes humans.

[0062] In certain embodiments, the subject may be an individual who exhibits stained teeth or who wishes to prevent staining of teeth. Such stains could develop, for example, as a result of the subject’s eating or drinking habits or use of tobacco products. In some embodiments, the prevention of staining of teeth of the subject includes reducing risk of developing stains on the teeth. In some embodiments, prevention of staining the teeth of the subject includes reducing the rate at which new stains form, reducing the rate at which existing stains worsen, or both.

[0063] According to certain embodiments, methods of the disclosure include contacting the teeth of the subject with the teeth whitening wipe for about 1 second to about 30 seconds, such as for about 5 seconds to about 15 seconds, or such as for about 5 seconds to about 10 seconds. The14413-OO-WO-Ol-OC methods may include, for example, contacting the teeth of the subject with the teeth whitening wipe at least once a day, such as at least twice a day, or such as at least three times a day. In certain embodiments, the methods of the disclosure include contacting the teeth of the subject with the teeth whitening wipe for at least five days, such as a least one week, at least two weeks, at least three weeks, or at least one month.

[0064] The teeth whitening wipes disclosed herein may be made according to methods and procedures known to those skilled in the art. In some embodiments, the teeth whitening wipes can be made by providing the absorbent tissue substrate, then impregnating the absorbent substrate with the liquid oral care composition by submerging or otherwise soaking the absorbent tissue substrate in the liquid oral care composition, by spraying the liquid oral care composition on the absorbent tissue substrate, by brushing the liquid oral care composition on the absorbent tissue substrate, or by directing a flow of the liquid oral care composition to contact the absorbent tissue substrate.

[0065] The teeth whitening wipes may have a size of any dimensions appropriate for contacting the teeth. In some embodiments, the teeth whitening wipes are in the form sheets, such as sheets that are substantially square or rectangular. Exemplary dimensions for such wipes include, for example, 20 cm x 20 cm, 15 cm x 20 cm, 15 cm x 15 cm, 10 cm x 15 cm, and 10 cm x 10 cm. The teeth whitening wipes may have any appropriate thickness, for example a thickness of from about 0.2 mm to about 5 mm, about 0.2 mm to about 2 mm, about 0.2 mm to about 0.6 mm, or about 0.3 mm to about 0.5 mm.

[0066] In some embodiments, the teeth whitening wipes are packaged as a number of wipes, such as from 10 to 100 wipes, or from 20 to 50 wipes, in a flexible or rigid container. The container may be configured so the packaged wipes substantially retain their moisture from the liquid oral care composition as the user withdraws individual wipes from the container over time. For instance, the container may be fitted with a flexible adhesive reseal flap designed to reseal the container after a wipe is withdrawn. In some embodiments, each teeth whitening wipe is enclosed in single-piece individual packaging.

[0067] In some embodiments, the wipes may be packaged in a layered manner so that a wipe removed by the user is not configured to pull an adjacent wipe. In other embodiments, the wipes can be folded into one another in an alternating pattern so that when a top wipe is removed for use, the wipe below the top wipe is queued for the next use. In further embodiments, the wipes can be14413-00-WO-Ol-OC attached to one another by way of a perforated edge, such that removal of a wipe is achieved by tearing the wipe along a perforation, thereby separating the wipe from subsequent wipes.

[0068] The examples and other embodiments described herein are exemplary and not intended to be limiting in describing the full scope of products of this disclosure. Equivalent changes, modifications and variations of specific embodiments, materials, compositions and methods may be made within the scope of the present disclosure, with substantially similar results.EXAMPLES

[0069] Experiments were performed to test the whitening effect of teeth whitening wipes of the present disclosure compared to controls. The samples tested included wipes with 1.8 g of liquid oral care composition comprising phytic acid absorbed on absorbent tissue substrates comprising bamboo fiber. The controls included absorbent tissue substrates comprising bamboo fiber absorbing 1.8 g of water instead of the oral care composition. The weight of liquid oral care composition added and the weight of the water added was three times the weight of the absorbent tissue substrate for both the test wipes and the control wipes (i.e., the absorbent tissue substrates weighed about 0.6 g prior to addition of the liquid oral care composition or the water). The experiments tested two types of tissue substrates: one with a flat pattern and another with an embossed pearl pattern. The whitening efficacy test was conducted using a brushing machine as described below.

[0070] Table 1 presents the composition of the liquid oral care composition used in the experiments. In contrast to experiments using a teeth whitening wipe of the disclosure, the controls included 100 wt% of water instead of the liquid oral care composition.14413-OO-WO-Ol-OCTable 1: Liquid oral care compositionIn-vitro efficacy test methodology

[0071] Each experiment was conducted on 8 samples of stained bovine teeth having an initial L value of 35-45. Each bovine’s L, a, and b values were recorded over time. Control and experimental samples were randomly distributed. Tissue substrates were prepared by cutting the tissues in 100 x 120 mm wipes and impregnating them with 1.8 g of either the liquid oral care composition detailed in Table 1 or water. Each wipe was wrapped around the soft head of a customized applicator, which was then assembled on a brushing machine set at a frequency of 120 r / min. Bovine teeth were also mounted in a holder and assembled on the brushing machine.

[0072] The brushing machine was first run for 10 seconds of brushing. After brushing, the bovine teeth were disassembled and then evaluated with a spectrophotometer to measure L, a, and b values. The L, a, and b values were then used to calculate AW. The process of brushing was then repeated, with further results documented after 20 seconds, 30 seconds, and 60 seconds of total brushing time.Experiment 114413-00-WO-Ol-OC

[0073] Experiment 1 evaluated the whitening effect of a flat pattern bamboo fiber wipe compared to a control. Table 2a presents the measured L, a, and b values and calculated AW using the test teeth whitening wipe as described above. Table 2b presents the measured and calculated values using the control.Table 2a: Measured data and AW value of bamboo fiber tissue (flat pattern) with phytic acid composition before and after brushingTable 2b: Measured data and AW value of bamboo fiber tissue (flat pattern) with water before and after brushing14413-OO-WO-Ol-OC

[0074] FIG. 1 compares the average AW value of the bamboo fiber flat pattern with a liquid oral care composition compared to water alone before and after brushing. The bamboo fiber wipe (flat pattern) with liquid oral care composition exhibited better stain removal effectiveness compared to the wipe (flat pattern) with water. The average AW value obtained with the teeth wipes of the disclosure was 0.35 lower compared to control after 30 seconds of contact with the teeth, and 0.36 lower compared to control after 60 seconds of contact. Extended brushing time resulted in improved stain removal performance.Experiment 2

[0075] Experiment 2 evaluated the whitening effect of the pearl pattern bamboo fiber wipe compared to a control. Table 3a presents the measure L, a, and b values and calculated AW using a teeth whitening wipe of the present disclosure. Table 3b presents the measured and calculated values using the control.Table 3a: Measured data and AW value of bamboo fiber tissue (pearl pattern) with phytic acid composition before and after brushing14413-OO-WO-Ol-OCTable 3b: Measured data and AW value of bamboo fiber tissue (pearl pattern) with water before and after brushing14413-OO-WO-Ol-OC

[0076] FIG. 2 compares the average AW value of the bamboo fiber pearl pattern with a liquid oral care composition compared to water alone before and after brushing. The bamboo fiber wipe (pearl pattern) with liquid oral care composition demonstrated a significantly superior stain removal efficacy compared to the wipe (pearl pattern) with water. The average AW value obtained with the teeth wipes of the disclosure was 1.13 lower compared to control after 30 seconds of contact with the teeth, and 1.35 lower compared to control after 60 seconds of contact. Extended brushing time resulted in improved stain removal performance. The bamboo fiber with a pearl pattern with liquid oral care composition also exhibited greater whitening performance compared to the flat pattern with liquid oral care composition.

[0077] The present disclosure has been described with reference to exemplary implementations. Although a limited number of implementations have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in these implementations without departing from the principles and spirit of the preceding detailed description. It is intended that the present disclosure be construed as including all such modifications and alterations insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.

Claims

14413-OO-WO-Ol-OCCLAIMSWhat Is Claimed Is:

1. A teeth whitening wipe, which comprises: an absorbent tissue substrate comprising bamboo fiber; and a liquid oral care composition; wherein the absorbent tissue substrate is impregnated with the liquid oral care composition; and wherein the liquid oral care composition comprises phytic acid or a salt thereof.

2. The teeth whitening wipe of claim 1, wherein the absorbent tissue substrate comprises bamboo fiber in an amount of at least about 80 wt%, such as at least about 90 wt%, such as at least about 95 wt%, such as at least about 98%, or in amount of at least about 100 wt% or 100 wt%, based on the weight of the absorbent tissue substrate.

3. The teeth whitening wipe of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the absorbent tissue substate is embossed with a raised or recessed pattern.

4. The teeth whitening wipe of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the weight of the liquid oral care composition is at least the weight of the absorbent tissue substrate, such as at least about two times the weight of the absorbent tissue substrate, or such as at least about three times the weight of the absorbent tissue substrate.

5. The teeth whitening wipe of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the liquid oral care composition is in the form of an aqueous solution.

6. The teeth whitening wipe of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the liquid oral care composition comprises phytic acid.

7. The teeth whitening wipe of any of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the liquid oral care composition comprises a salt of phytic acid.

8. The teeth whitening wipe of claim 7, wherein the salt of phytic acid is an alkali metal salt, an alkaline earth metal salt, or an ammonium salt of phytic acid.14413-OO-WO-Ol-OC9. The teeth whitening wipe of claim 8, wherein the salt of phytic acid is sodium phytate or potassium phytate.

10. The teeth whitening wipe of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the liquid oral care composition comprises the phytic acid or salt thereof in an amount ranging from about 0.1 wt% to about 5 wt%, such as from about 0.3 wt% to about 3 wt%, or such as from about 0.5 wt% to about 1.5 wt%, or about 1 wt%, based on the total weight of the liquid oral care composition.

11. The teeth whitening wipe of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the liquid oral care composition further comprises a zinc ion source.

12. The teeth whitening wipe of claim 11, wherein the zinc ion source is zinc citrate trihydrate.

13. The teeth whitening wipe of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the liquid oral care composition further comprises a fluoride ion source.

14. The teeth whitening wipe of claim 13, wherein the fluoride ion source is sodium fluoride.

15. The teeth whitening wipe of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the liquid oral care composition further comprises an anti-calculus agent.

16. The teeth whitening wipe of claim 1, wherein the anti-calculus agent is tetrasodium pyrophosphate or tetrapotassium pyrophosphate.

17. The teeth whitening wipe of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the liquid oral care composition does not comprise hydrogen peroxide.

18. A method for whitening teeth, which comprises contacting the teeth of a subject in need thereof with the teeth whitening wipe of any one of the preceding claims.

19. The method of claim 18, which comprises contacting the teeth of the subject with the teeth whitening wipe for about 2 seconds to about 30 seconds, such as for about 5 seconds to about 15 seconds.14413-OO-WO-Ol-OC20. The method of any one of claims 18-19, which comprises contacting the teeth of the subject with the teeth whitening wipe at least once a day, such as at least twice a day, or such as at least three times a day.

21. The method of any one of claims 18-20, wherein the method comprises changing the whiteness of the teeth by a AW value that is lower than about -0.25, such as lower than about - 0.5, lower than about -0.75, lower than about -1.0, lower than about -1.25, or lower than about - 1.5.

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