Dual Surfactant Foaming Dentifrice with Desensitizing Agents

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional toothpastes with potassium nitrate, zinc salts, or phosphate salts struggle to maintain foaming properties in human saliva due to its foam-breaking characteristics, leading to suboptimal consumer acceptance and foaming performance.

Innovation Solution

A dual surfactant system comprising sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and cocamidopropyl betaine (CAPB) without a non-ionic surfactant, formulated in specific weight percentages, which enhances foaming stability and volume even in high salt environments, allowing for the inclusion of desensitizing agents like potassium nitrate and tartar control agents without compromising foaming.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If potassium nitrate, zinc salts, or phosphate salts are added to toothpaste for desensitizing and anti-tartar functions, then the therapeutic effectiveness is improved, but the foaming performance deteriorates due to foam-breaking properties of these salts

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetherapeutic effectivenessVSAvoidfoaming performance
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the parameters of the surfactant system by using a specific dual-surfactant combination (anionic surfactant at 0.5-5% and cationic/amphoteric surfactant at 0.1-2%) without non-ionic surfactants, which alters the foam stability characteristics to resist the foam-breaking effects of potassium nitrate, zinc salts, and phosphate salts while maintaining therapeutic effectiveness

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The invention uses a composite surfactant system combining anionic and cationic/amphoteric surfactants in specific ratios, creating a synergistic effect that produces foam more stable in the presence of foam-breaking ingredients compared to conventional single or triple surfactant systems

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Ease of manufacture

If conventional surfactant levels are used to achieve acceptable foam volume in pure water, then the foaming performance in water is satisfactory, but the foam volume decreases significantly when tested in artificial saliva due to saliva's foam-breaking properties

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefoam volume in waterVSAvoidfoam stability in saliva
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The invention modifies the surfactant composition parameters by eliminating non-ionic surfactants and using specific concentrations of anionic and cationic/amphoteric surfactants, which changes the foam's interaction with saliva components to maintain stability and volume in the oral environment

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The invention uses a simpler dual-surfactant system instead of complex triple-surfactant systems, reducing formulation complexity while achieving superior foam stability in saliva compared to conventional systems

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The dual surfactant system delivers improved and sustained foaming performance in artificial saliva, outperforming traditional systems, especially in the presence of foam-breaking ingredients, and is cost-effective with enhanced micro-robustness, ensuring consumer satisfaction with rapid and high-volume foam generation.

Implementation Method 1

a dual surfactant system comprising an anionic surfactant, wherein the anionic surfactant is sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and a cationic or amphoteric surfactant, wherein the cationic or amphoteric surfactant is cocamidopropyl betaine (CAPB)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSurface tension reduction: Surface Tension

Data Source

PatentEP3280385B1Foaming dentifrice with desensitizing agents
Publication Date: 2021.09.29 COLGATE PALMOLIVE CO

AI summary

The present invention relates to an oral care composition having an anionic surfactant, a cationic or amphoteric surfactant, and a potassium salt, wherein the oral care composition does not include a non-ionic surfactant.