CA2557709A1 - Interdental cleaning device - Google Patents

Description

Interdental Cleaning Device Background It has been found that cleaning the teeth with dental floss on all surfaces, and particularly between the teeth and below the gum line, is important in the prevention and control of gum disease and tooth decay. The recommended procedure is to guide the floss between two teeth, hold the floss in a taut loop around half the side of the tooth, and reciprocate the floss in a seesaw manner across the tooth while at the same time moving the floss from the bottom of the tooth to the top. This procedure is repeated for the front and back of each tooth so that cleaning is accomplished from bottom to top on all sides of each tooth.
At present such flossing is accomplished by holding the floss with the fingers. This requires considerable dexterity, patience and time. It is also necessary to insert the fingers into the mouth in order to accomplish the proper scrubbing motion of the floss on all teeth. This can be difficult, especially when flossing the teeth in the back of the mouth.
Various tools have been devised to hold the floss to help facilitate flossing.
Most of these tools utilize two prongs which are spaced apart and fixed in relation to one another, and in turn are connected to a single handle. A strand of floss is held taut between the tips of these prongs, and, using one hand, the device is inserted into the mouth.
The floss is then guided carefully between each pair of teeth and the required flossing motions are performed.
The concept of holding a strand of floss between two prongs has several disadvantages:
1) because the floss is typically held in a taut manner, it is difficult to guide the floss between each pair of teeth, especially if the teeth are spaced tightly together 2) if excessive pressure is needed to force the strand of floss between the teeth, the floss can be accidentally pushed into and damage the gum 3) with the floss held in a taut fashion, it is not possible to wrap the floss around each tooth so that all tooth surfaces, as well as gum surfaces immediately surrounding the tooth, are effectively cleaned 4) the prongs, when connected to a rigid handle, can be difficult to position anywhere in the mouth to easily and successfully guide the strand of floss between any given pair of teeth 5) because the prongs are fixed in relationship to one another, the floss cannot be easily manipulated 6) the floss strand between the prongs is fixed in length, which may not be desirable for those who use that particular tool.

Description of the Invention The object of this invention is to provide an easy and effective way to floss with a device that is simple and economical in design.

The present invention provides a means for manipulating a strand of floss using two elongated handles held independently in each hand. The handles are preferably moulded from a plastics material. The tips of the handles are generally spherical in shape so they feel comfortable when brought into contact with the mouth and gums. A single strand of floss is inserted through generally round holes which go through these spherical tips.
Because the hole and spherical tip have a common center point, the material surrounding the hole is uniform in thickness to provide optimum material strength. The handle body gradually tapers in size as it approaches the spherical tip, thus allowing the tip and floss to be brought closer to the teeth and gums when flossing.
The floss in turn is secured to each handle by winding the floss a few times around a button shaped anchor integrally moulded to the body of each handle. The button on each handle is positioned far enough from the tip such that the button does not enter the mouth when flossing. The button is elevated in relation to the handle body to facilitate winding.
Each button has a narrow slot found directly underneath. The floss is wound under the button and guides easily into each slot, by utilizing a pair of tapered ribs that also define the bottom plane of the slot. The narrow slot design causes the floss windings to bind against each other to hold the strand of floss securely to each handle. A
secondary hole is found near the anchor/button apparatus. The end of a strand of floss can be inserted through this hole, to help prevent unintended unwinding of the floss from around the anchor during flossing.
The strand of floss can be adjusted in length between the tips as desired. The tension on the strand of floss between the two handle tips can be controlled by holding the handles farther apart or closer to each other, to facilitate easy insertion of the floss between the teeth and to allow the floss to be wrapped around the tooth surfaces and safely guided below the gum line. The independent handles can be orientated in a number of different ways to allow easy access to all areas of the mouth.
As an option, a supply of floss can loaded onto the device by simply enlarging or elongating the button on one of the two handles. A longer strand of floss can be wound underneath this button, thereby creating a way of storing a quantity of floss, and eliminating the need to replace the floss after each use. When a clean length of floss is needed, a short length of floss can be unwound from the elongated button found on the supply handle, while the spent section of floss can be wound onto the secondary button found on the take up handle. Because the button on the supply handle is longer and therefore larger than that found on the take up handle, the handle is easy to identify. The handles can be further distinguished by making them in different colours.

Parts of the Flossing Tool and Description of Drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation view of a single handle, showing the components.
Part 1 is a handle body.
Part 2 is a spherical shaped tip.

Part 3 is a hole through the spherical tip; plastics material surrounding hole is uniform is thickness.
Part 4 is a tapered transition between the handle body and the spherical tip.
Part 5 is a button.
Part 6 is a narrow slot which the floss is wound into, to secure the floss to the handle.
Part 7 is a stud which joins the button to the handle, and elevates the button in relation to the handle.
Part 8 is a tapered rib which guides the floss into the slot when winding the floss.
Part 9 is a secondary hole through which the loose end of a floss strand is inserted.
Part 10 is the back of a handle which may rest in the palm of the hand during flossing, and is therefore round for added comfort.

Figure 2 is a top view of a handle.
Figure 3 is a close up view of the front end of a handle.
Figure 4 shows a strand of floss threaded through the tips, wound into the slots (hidden) under the buttons, and threaded through the secondary holes of the two handles.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of two handles, one of which can accommodate a supply of floss. Again, floss is shown attached and secured to handles.

Part 1 is a supply handle.
Part 2 is an elongated supply button.
Part 3 is a take up handle.
Part 4 is a take up button.

Figure 6 is a side elevation of a take up handle.
Figure 7 is a side elevation of a supply handle, showing an elongated button with added space under it to accommodate a supply of floss.

Claims