JP3087375B2 - Antibacterial toothbrush - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an antibacterial toothbrush, and more particularly, to a toothbrush which suppresses the growth of bacteria during use of the toothbrush.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Toothbrushes are stored in a moist state during use, so that molds and bacteria are liable to propagate. This is unsanitary for daily oral use. In particular, the vicinity of the root of the hair bundle with poor air permeability becomes considerably dirty. For this reason, as a toothbrush having antibacterial properties, there are already known several techniques for imparting antibacterial activity by performing sterilization treatment in a flocked hole of a shaft of the toothbrush (DE451728 and JP-A-2-7903).

[0003]

However, in the case where the antibacterial agent is easily imparted by simply sterilizing the flocked holes in the shaft of the toothbrush, the antibacterial agent is easily eluted, and the effect is not maintained. An object of the present invention is to provide a toothbrush that has an antibacterial effect on a toothbrush and suppresses the growth of bacteria, and maintains the antibacterial effect.

[0004]

According to the present invention, there is provided a layer made of a polymer compound which is swellable with respect to water and mixed with a germicide (hereinafter referred to as a polymer compound layer). Abbreviated). A further advantageous aspect of the present invention is a toothbrush in which a polymer compound layer is provided not only in the flocked hole of the shaft of the toothbrush but also on the flocked surface of the shaft of the toothbrush.

In the present invention, the fungicide can be used without any particular limitation as long as it can be used in the oral cavity. For example, decalinium chloride, benzalkonium chloride, benzethonium chloride, chlorhexidine gluconate, chlorhexidine hydrochloride, isopropylmethylphenol And cetylpyridinium chloride. These may be used in combination of two or more. In addition, as a polymer compound that swells in water, it is hardly soluble in water, has no toxicity, and is made of a material for a toothbrush shaft (typically, polypropylene, acrylonitrile-styrene copolymer, polyethylene terephthalate, nylon, polybutylene terephthalate, etc.). To form a good film, and
There is no particular limitation as long as it has adhesiveness to the extent that it is not easily peeled off. For example, methacrylic acid / methyl methacrylate copolymer, ethyl acrylate / methyl methacrylate / trimethylammonium ethyl methacrylate Examples thereof include polymers, polyvinyl acetal / diethylaminoacetate, and ethylene / vinyl acetate copolymer.

The polymer compound layer is formed on the flocking hole or the flocking surface including the flocking hole of the shaft of the toothbrush using the above-mentioned polymer compound having a swelling property in water in an amount of 1 mg to 1 g. As a method for providing the polymer compound layer, first, a polymer compound which swells in a germicide and water in an appropriate solvent (one that does not dissolve the toothbrush shaft, for example, methanol, ethanol, acetone, chloroform, etc.) Dissolve or mix and apply it to the flocked surface or flocked hole of the toothbrush shaft, spray it, spread it on the flocked surface of the toothbrush shaft head, or apply a nozzle After injecting using a solvent, the solvent is distilled off and dried.

[0007]

According to the antibacterial toothbrush of the present invention, a swelling polymer compound swells in water in a wet state in which bacteria and the like easily propagate, so that the germicide is gradually eluted from the polymer compound layer, Prevent breeding. On the other hand, such a phenomenon does not occur in a dry state where bacteria do not easily propagate. However, even when water or saliva invades the flocked hole or the flocked surface including the flocked hole in a wet state such as when brushing the tooth,
Due to the presence of the high molecular compound, a large amount of the bactericide does not elute from the high molecular compound layer.

[0008]

As can be seen from the operation of the present invention, the present invention enables the fungicide to be eluted from the polymer compound layer effectively without waste, and to act particularly near the root of the toothbrush bristles where bacteria are most likely to propagate. I do. In addition, since the high molecular compound layer is not worn by brushing and the antibacterial action is not deteriorated for a long time, it has become possible to provide a product that can keep the toothbrush clean during its use.

[0009]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG.
The present invention will be described more specifically. FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing one embodiment of the antibacterial toothbrush of the present invention. Embodiment 1 and Embodiment 2 will be described with reference to FIG. Example 1 0.1 g of decalinium chloride was dissolved in 90 g of ethanol, and 10 g of Eudragit RSL (trade name of methacrylic acid / methyl methacrylate copolymer, manufactured by ROHM Co., Ltd.) was added to form a uniform solution, which was mixed with acrylonitrile-styrene. Flocked hole (5) in shaft (1) of toothbrush molded from polymer
(Volume: about 10 μl), dried at room temperature to form the polymer compound layer (3), and then planted natural hair to form a hair bundle (4), thereby producing an antibacterial toothbrush.

Example 2 0.05 g of chlorhexidine hydrochloride was dissolved in 95 g of methanol, and 5 g of Eudragit S (trade name of methacrylic acid / methyl methacrylate copolymer, manufactured by Rohm) was added to form a uniform solution. Injected into the flocked hole (5) (capacity: about 10 μl) of the shaft (1) of the toothbrush molded by the above method, dried at room temperature to form the polymer compound layer (3), and then planted with natural bristles to form bristles (4) was formed to produce an antibacterial toothbrush.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showing another embodiment of the antibacterial toothbrush of the present invention. Embodiment 3 will be described with reference to FIG. Example 3 0.5 g of benzalkonium chloride was dissolved in 90 g of methanol, and 10 g of Eudragit RS (trade name of methacrylic acid / methyl methacrylate copolymer, manufactured by Rohm)
To form a uniform solution, spray it onto the flocked hole (5) and flocked surface (2) of the shaft (1) of the toothbrush molded of acrylonitrile-styrene copolymer, apply an appropriate amount uniformly, and dry at room temperature. After forming the polymer compound layer (3), nylon hair is implanted to form a hair bundle (4),
An antibacterial toothbrush was manufactured.

Test Example 1 The antibacterial toothbrushes manufactured in Examples 1 and 2 (hereinafter referred to as
Samples A and B, respectively. )) And a control antibacterial toothbrush (toothbrush implanted by injecting only the same amount of fungicide as in sample A into the flocked hole; hereinafter referred to as sample C), the following test was conducted. After the samples A to C were used several times under the same conditions as usual, the bactericide remaining in the flocked hole of each toothbrush was extracted with methanol, and quantified by HPLC under the following conditions. Was calculated. Quantitative conditions Stationary phase; ODS column Column size; inner diameter 4 mm x 15 cm Mobile phase; methanol: water: sodium dodecyl sulfate: phosphoric acid (85: 15: 0.5: 0.1) mixture temperature; constant temperature around 50 ° C Flow rate 1.0 ml / min detection wavelength; 254 nm sensitivity (ATT.); 6 The results are shown in Table 1.

[0013]

[Table 1]

Test Example 2 The antibacterial toothbrushes prepared in Examples 1 and 2 were used once under normal conditions, washed with water and air-dried. Samples D and E were obtained by cutting the hair of this antibacterial toothbrush from the root, and the remaining hair in the flocked hole was removed from the shaft of the toothbrush after cutting the hair, and further cut only at the head of the shaft of the toothbrush. These were designated as samples D 'and E', respectively. Place each sample on agar medium of Staphylococcus aureus (sample D
'And E' were placed at 37 ° C for 24 hours, and the width of the formed Staphylococcus aureus inhibition zone was measured. Table 2 shows the results.

[0015]

[Table 2]

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing one embodiment of the antibacterial toothbrush of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showing another embodiment of the antibacterial toothbrush of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 (1) Toothbrush shaft (2) Flocked surface (3) Polymer compound layer (4) Hair bundle (5) Flocked hole

Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor, Yoshida, Stepchika 3-24-1, Takada, Toshima-ku, Tokyo Taisho Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (56) References JP-B-51-506 (JP, B1) JIN-SHO 50-40688 (JP, Y1) (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) A46B 15/00

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A toothbrush provided with a layer made of a water-swellable polymer compound mixed with a germicide in a flocked hole of a shaft of the toothbrush. 2. In a flocked hole and a flocked surface of a shaft of a toothbrush,
A toothbrush provided with a layer made of a polymer compound swelling in water, mixed with a germicide.