GB2331704A

GB2331704A - Coloured Dental Floss

Info

Publication number: GB2331704A
Application number: GB9725342A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Madeleine Denise O'reilly
Original assignee: DENT O CARE Ltd; REILLY MADELEINE DENISE O
Current assignee: DENT O CARE Ltd; REILLY MADELEINE DENISE O
Priority date: 1997-11-28
Filing date: 1997-11-28
Publication date: 1999-06-02
Anticipated expiration: 2017-11-28
Also published as: GB2331704A9; GB2331704B; GB9725342D0

Abstract

Dental floss is formed of a colour that is sufficiently different from the creamy-white colour of plaque and other debris which tends to collect in interdental and subgingival areas, to highlight the nature and the quality of plaque and the debris which is removed by flossing operation. The colour is not red and may be black, navy blue or bottle green. Additionally the coloured portion may be arranged between different coloured portions to be held by the user.

Description

DENTAL FLOSS This invention relates to dental floss.

2331704 So-called dental floss is known by dentists to be of great importance in the prevention of gum disease, as it is very effective in clearing plaque and removing debris from proximal interdental areas where toothbrush bristles fail to reach and from sub-gingival locations.

Dental floss has been commercially available for more than a century, originally being produced from silk fibres. Now, floss usually comprises waxed or unwaxed nylon filaments to form strands of slightly varying effective diameter, or braids which may be of wider dimensions to form dental tape.

Over the years, virtually all dental flosses have been white or creamcoloured, as is appropriate to the field of hygiene, and mint-flavoured floss having a pale green hue to indicate the flavour - has been produced. Such colours have the disadvantage that plaque and most other debris removed by flossing is of a creamy-white colour and is difficult to perceive on the floss during use. Thus, it can be difficult for a dentist or oral hygienist, or for that matter a floss retailer, to convince the patient or user of the greatly beneficial effects of flossing.

Effective flossing should initially be carried out in front of a mirror so that the participant can visualise the 'creamy-white plaque' being removed against the 'darkened coloured floss'.

With time the manual dexterity, technique and skill improves so that the participant can eventually floss with perfection unaided by a mirror.

Using a very dark coloured floss can significantly highlight the presence of plaque and removal of plaque during the actual flossing technique.

According to the present invention there is provided dental floss which is of a colour sufficiently different from the creamy-white colour of plaque and other debris which tends to collect in interdental and sub- gingival areas, to highlight the nature and quantity of plaque and debris which is removed by a flossing operation.

A dark contrasting colour can readily be incorporated in, for example, the nylon or other filaments or fibres from which dental floss is produced, or an appropriately safe dye may be applied to the floss strands.

Generally, a dark colour which is readily distinguishable from the aforementioned creamy-white will be effective in illustrating the amount of plaque/debris being removed, but black, navy blue and bottle green have proved to be particularly ef f ective. Dark red f loss would have the great disadvantage of masking any problem of bleeding gums which might be present or trauma to the gums due to incorrect usage of the floss.

Bottle green coloured dental floss, including dental tape, has proved to be very effective in use in alerting the patient to the nature and quantity of plaque/debris with which his/her gums and teeth have been contaminated, and thus in convincing the patient of the highly beneficial improvement in oral hygiene and dental health which can be achieved by flossing.

Although the basis of the present invention is the concept of a suitably dark-coloured dental floss, developments are envisaged. For example, floss strands may be produced with alternating appropriately-dimensioned lengths of a bottle- 3 - green colour and lengths of uncoloured f loss, to provide 'active' lengths separated by 'holding' lengths to be bisected and gripped by the patient's fingers during a flossing operation. Such floss would incorporate the further advantage of confirming the ideal overall length of floss which should be used in an operation that can be initially awkward to master.

Further modifications can also be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

4

Claims

1. Dental floss, characterised in that at least a portion of a length of the floss is of a colour darker than and contrasting with the creamywhite colour of plaque.

2. Floss according to Claim 1, wherein said coloured portion is of a colour that is a different from red.

Floss according to Claim 2, wherein said colour is black.

4. Floss according to Claim 2, wherein said colour is navy blue.

5. Floss according to Claim 2, wherein said colour is bottle green.

6. Floss according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, wherein said coloured portion of floss is arranged between lengths of a different colour, wherein said different coloured lengths define portions to be held by the user, between which is an active length of said colour, for flossing the teeth.

7. Dental floss as claimed in Claim 1, substantially as described herein.