KR101167759B1 - Oral care implement housing an oral care agent - Google Patents

Abstract

The oral care device herein includes a tuft insert and a base defined to define a cavity for receiving the active insert. The active insert includes an active agent. The head of the oral care implement is of such construction that the active insert is in fluid communication with the membrane or aperture.

Tuft inserts, active inserts, membranes, cavities, active agents, fluid communication, oral care agents.

Description

Oral care organization that received oral health care agent {ORAL CARE IMPLEMENT HOUSING AN ORAL CARE AGENT}

The present invention relates to an oral care appliance having an agent that can be discharged into the mouth of a user to improve oral health.

In general, many people have many forms of unhealthy mouths, including tooth decay, periodontitis, and bad breath. Tooth decay and periodontitis are typically caused by bad bacteria in the mouth. When bad bacteria mix with proteins in saliva, plaque membranes form in teeth and soft tissues. If such plaques are not removed, the plaques may invade the teeth and create cavities. In addition, the plaque will invade soft tissue in the mouth and cause gum disease, resulting in loss of adult teeth. Thus, until now, the goal of those working in the field of oral health care has been to reduce the amount of bad bacteria in the mouth.

The most common way to minimize the number of bad bacteria in the mouth is to brush with a toothbrush that has a toothpaste that discharges at least one oral care agent into the mouth. In addition, it is possible to further oral health care in addition to achieving while brushing by using the mouthwash liquid containing the mouthwash. In addition, mouthwashes may be used to release breath freshening agents in the mouth in an attempt to eliminate bad breath.

Unfortunately, individuals do not always have time to take proper oral health care. For example, a busy person may not be able to afford or have time to brush with full use of dental floss and / or mouthwash. Alternatively, some people may decide that nothing other than brushing their teeth is necessary. For any reason, these people will leave a significant amount of bad bacteria in their mouths after completing their routine oral care behaviors, and these bacteria may begin to invade teeth and gums.

Therefore, in order to improve oral health, a toothbrush which discharges the agent during brushing is required.

The present invention relates to an oral care implement having an agent that can be released into a user's mouth to provide improved oral health.

One aspect of the present invention relates to an oral care implement that discharges oral health care agents to a user's mouth through one or a plurality of aperture membranes.

In one aspect, the oral care implement includes a head having at least one portion formed to form one or more cavities. At least one oral health care agent is provided to one or more cavities so as to be dispensed into the user's mouth when fluid or chemical and the oral health care agent come into contact with the oral cavity.

In one aspect, the oral care implement includes an oral care active agent located inside one or more cavities of the head. The active agent is distributed through the tuft head plate.

In one aspect, the oral care implement includes an oral care active agent located inside one or more cavities of the head. The active agent is distributed through a membrane located opposite the tuft head plate.

In one aspect, the oral care implement includes an oral care active agent located inside one or more cavities of the head. The active agent is distributed through a tuft head plate having at least one hole and a membrane located opposite the tuft head plate.

In one aspect, the oral care implement is reusable or disposable. The oral care active agent may be released during single use of the device, during combined use, or during use of the device. Water, oral secretions, and / or chemicals in the mouth are those that can activate oral health care agents.

1 is a perspective view of an oral care appliance.

2 is a view showing one surface of the oral care implement of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a view showing one surface of the oral care implement of FIG. 1 taking the opposite side of FIG.

4A is a side view of the oral care implement of FIG.

4B is an enlarged view of a part of the head of the oral care implement of FIG.

5 is an exploded perspective view of the oral care implement of FIG. 4.

6A and 6B are perspective views of a modified tuft insert similar to the insert shown in FIG.

7 is a perspective view of a modified head of the oral care implement.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a head configured differently from the oral care appliance of FIG. 7 with an active oral care agent. FIG.

9 is a perspective view of a modified head of the oral care implement.

10 is a perspective view of a modified head of the oral care implement of FIG. 9 with an active oral care agent.

11 is a perspective view of a tufted head flattened configuration of an oral care implement.

12 is a side view of the tuft head plate of the oral care implement of FIG.

1 shows an oral care implement 1 having an elongated handle 10 and a head 20 introduced into a user's mouth or mouth. The oral care device 1 is not limited to the toothbrush as shown, it may be of any shape and configuration. The oral care implement, as a non-limiting substrate, has another oral care implement including, for example, a tongue cleaner, a portable brush, and a toothpick combination, and serves to discharge oral health care agents to the user. As an optional case, the oral care implement may be discarded after one use or repeated use for a period of time. The elongated handle 10 is formed in various forms in various configurations to allow the oral care mechanism 1 to be easily grasped and manipulated in the mouth of the user.

The head 20 has a compound face that is exposed to the fluid in the mouth during use. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-3, the head 20 has a second surface 24 in the opposite direction to the first surface 22. Sidewalls 26 extend between the faces 22, 24. The oral care element 30 extends on either or both sides 22, 24 of the head 20, which element 30 may be a tooth cleaning element 35, such as an elongated bristle or elastomer finger, or any one of the elements. It may have a soft tissue cleaning element, such as a tongue cleaning member (not shown) elongated at faces 22 and 24.

The oral care element 30 is not limited to the above. The oral care component may be configured in any form commonly used or beneficial for bringing the oral cavity in contact with teeth and gum parts (eg, tooth cleaning, tooth polishing, tooth whitening, massage, stimulation, etc.). ) "Teeth cleaning elements" or "cleaning elements" suitably made for use. Such tooth cleaning elements include, but are not limited to, a plurality of bristle bristles formed to have a plurality of different shapes and sizes, an elastomeric cleaning member formed to have a plurality of different shapes and sizes, or a bundle of bristles and elastomers. A combination of cleaning members.

As shown in Figures 4A, 4B and 5, generally the head 20 of the oral care implement 1 has a base 40 and a tuft insert 60, such as a tuft head plate. As shown in Fig. 4A, at the time of assembly, the base 40 is provided with a tuft insert 60 to form one or more cavities 50.

In general, the oral appliance 1 has a head 20 configured to receive at least one oral care active agent that enters the mouth and performs the intended function. In one embodiment, the oral care agent (s) is given to one or more cavities 50 formed in the head 20. The cavity 50 is capable of receiving, retaining, and maintaining one or more dispensable oral health care agents. The cavity 50 may comprise a semi-liquid form, such as a liquid or an organized gel; And solids such as slow-dissolve wafers, “hard candy” shapes, compressed powders; Or to receive or maintain an agent consisting of two mixtures, such as liquids, which are spread out into a porous foam. The cavity may also contain a plurality of oral health care actives in various forms. In one embodiment, the cavity 50 receives and maintains the oral care agent (s) until a predetermined amount is received or the cavity is filled. The size and shape of the constituents and cavities in the cavity may be altered to produce the best possible oral health care. As will be described in detail below, the cavity 50 accommodates one or more oral health care agents and distributes them while using the oral care implement 1.

4A, 4B, and 5 will be described with reference to one after another. The base 40 has a housing 41 and a membrane 45. The housing 41 is formed in a form that facilitates the use of the oral care implement. For illustrative purposes, the base 40 has an outer wall of the housing 41, vertical walls 42, 44, 46 and horizontal walls 43, 53. The vertical walls 42, 44, 46 and the horizontal walls 43, 53 vary in structure depending on the particular shape, design, and material of the oral care implement having the elongated handle 10 and / or the housing 41. Is arranged. In addition, since the wall is not subject to the guidelines and constraints of the above-described configuration as long as it helps the assembly and stability of the head, the base 40 is the number of walls 42, 43, 44, 46, 53 described above. More or less can be done. The base 40 of the head 20 may be formed with the handle 10 in a single component. Alternatively, the head 20 may be made of a single component that is assembled into parts of the oral care implement 1. The head 20 components are attached or connected using a variety of techniques including ultrasonic, laser welding, or mechanical methods that allow removal and disposal of the head 20.

As shown in FIGS. 4A and 5, the membrane 45 has a cavity side 48 and an outer side 49. In the figure shown, the cavity side 48 is the side of the membrane 45 directly adjacent the cavity 50. The membrane structure can be made using various materials and configurations. For example, in woven or molded arrangements, nylon, plastic or various filament materials are used. The membrane is formed of filaments, or generally woven or laced in any of a variety of patterns. The membrane 45 also consists of a generally flat plastic member having one or more holes or pores so that the material flows out through the plastic member. The holes in the membrane 45 can be adjusted to control the amount of material released from the active insert. As shown in FIG. 4A, one or more materials flow through the membrane 45 in one or more directions. For example, application of an oral care agent is for the material to flow from the cavity side 48 to the outer side 49, into the user's mouth. Alternatively, the membrane 45 is structured such that a substance such as water or saliva or other active agent flows in reverse direction from the inner side 49 to the cavity side 48. The flow direction arrow 145 shown indicates the flow path as described above.

Although the membrane 45 is located in a generally central region of the surface of the base 40, the membrane may be installed at another part of the head or at another part. The housing 41 surrounds the circumferential edge of the membrane 45, thereby supporting and / or remaining stable the membrane contained during use in the mouth. The membrane 45 is permanently or temporarily attached to the housing 41 in a manner such as melting, bonding, or interference fit. It is also contemplated that a variety of other structures may be considered, such as the membrane forming the entirety of the second face 24 of the head 20 of the oral care implement. In this example, the membrane is attached to the housing 41 by any number of mechanisms instead of being added to or attached to the housing 41 at its circumferential edge. do. In addition, the membrane 45 may be molded in a monolithic fashion with the handle 10 and the head 20.

In the structures shown in Figures 4A, 4B, and 5, the walls 42, 43, 44, 46, 53 are the membranes 45, the base 61 of the active insert 55 and the tuft insert 60. ) And the structure forming the side wall and the ledge to individually receive them, so that they are permanently or temporarily fixed together. If desired, a locking action feature 118, such as a groove or overhang member, may be utilized to guide and / or secure the base 61 to the base 40 of the head 20. The stationary action feature 118 has only a physical mechanism or has a physical mechanism in combination with a tacky material. The securing feature is made using a variety of structures.

4A, 4B, 5, 6A, and 6B will be described with reference. The tuft insert 60 is shown here to include a base 61 and an oral care element 30 with a tooth cleaning element 35. The oral care element 30 is secured to the head 20 in a number of ways including bonding, shaping, melting, and mechanical fixation, including anchor free tufting (AFT) techniques. Here, the oral care element 30 is fixed to the base 61 of the tuft insert 60. The base 61 also has a conduit 65. The conduit 65 may include one or more orifices, holes, or passageways through which any of a variety of materials, including oral care agents, flow in both directions between the cavity 50 and the outer side 63 of the base 61. I have it. For example, the oral care agent contained in the cavity 50 may move through the base 61 of the tuft insert 60 to the oral care element 30 on the outer side 63. Fluid may also flow reversely from the outer side 63 to the cavity 50 through the base 61. The fluid in this example is water or saliva coming from the user's mouth utilized as a catalyst or activator of the active material 55 contained in the cavity 50.

The conduit 65 includes various physical structures, cross-sectional shapes, and materials according to flow characteristics, including flow rate, particle size, solubility, and the like. For ease of explanation, the conduit 65 is comprised of holes or pipes having circular, polygonal, and irregular cross sections and / or formed of a mesh, screen, or filtration structure. Fluid flow arrow 64 shows the flow of various materials through the conduit 65 in both directions, generally through the base 61 of the tuft insert 60. The structure of the conduit is a structure that modulates, retards, impedes, or hinders the flow so that the fluid flow occurs in one direction consistent with the techniques described above by altering the prevailing or exclusive degree of fluid flow. For example, the flow through the base 61 flows only from the outer side 63 to the cavity 50 or in the reverse direction (cavity 50 to the outer side 63), or the membrane ( 45) or flow in both directions controlled by conduit (65).

The tuft insert 60 is generally of a shape and structure that aligns with the base 40 so that the components can be assembled together. 5 is an exploded view of the oral care implement 1, in particular an exploded view of a head 20 consisting of a tuft insert 60, a cavity 50, an active insert 55, and a base 40. The oral care instrument is constructed by assembling the elements shown in FIG. 5 as shown in FIG. Although the order of assembly may generally be varied, the active insert 55 is typically placed in the cavity 50 prior to attaching or connecting the tuft insert 60 and the base 40. In various structures, the features are attached together temporarily or permanently. For example, the oral care implement 1 may be refillable to remove and reinsert or replace the active insert 55 or other active insert.

The active insert 55 is of various forms, wherein the active insert is a liquid or solid soluble tablet encapsulated in a soluble or destructive outer cover (eg, a container). The active insert 55 comprises oral health care materials or oral health care actives. Examples of non-limiting active agents include fungicides, whitening agents, anti-sensitivity agents, anti-inflammatory agents, anti-adhesive agents, plaque indicator agents, flavors, sensates sensates, breath freshening agents, gum health agents and coloring agents. Examples of such agents include metal ion agents (e.g., tin tin ion agents, copper ion agents, zinc ion agents, silver ion agents) triclosan, triclosan monophosphate, chlorhexidine, elixidine, nucleotidine, sanguinarin, benzal Cornium chloride, salicylanide, domiphen bromide, cetylpyridinium chloride, tetradecylpyridinium chloride, N-tetradecyl-4-ethylpyridinium chloride (TDEPC), octenidine, delmopinol, octapinol, Niacin, essential oils, furanones, bacteriocins, flavans, flavinoids, folic acid, vitamins, minerals, hydrogen peroxide, urea peroxide, sodium percarbonate, PVP-H ₂ 0 ₂ , polymerbound peroxide, potassium nitrate, occluders (occluding agents), bioactive glasses, arginine salts, arginine bicarbonate, bacalin, polyphenols, ethyl pyruvate, guanidinoethyl disulfide, tartar contro agents, anti-stain components, phosphates, polyvinylphosphonic acids, PVM / MA copolymers, enzymes, glucose oxidase, papain, ficin, ethyl lauroyl alginate, menthol, carvone, and Anethole, various flavor aldehydes, esters and alcohols, spearmint oil, peppermint oil, winter green oil, sasafrase oil, clove oil, sage oil, eucalyptus oil, marjoram oil, broiler oil, lemon oil, lime Oils, grapefruit oil, and / or orange oil.

The oral care agent (s) and / or the medium thereof are selected to complement the toothpaste prescription, for example by adjusting the flavor, color, aesthetics, or active ingredient. Flavors are managed to cause a gradual change in flavor during brushing, which is not currently possible with toothpaste alone. Changes to the flavors described herein, along with other changes in perceptual behavior, can also be used as a signal to indicate completion of effective routine brushing. For example, the fragrance may be released to indicate that the oral care element 1 is functioning properly or to indicate that the instrument 1 is empty and is in a condition to be discarded or refilled. Colorants can be added to cause color change during use. Flavors and / or colors may also be used to signal other conveniences such as tooth whitening or bactericidal action.

The active agent may be in harmony with the toothpaste or unstable and / or reactive with typical toothpaste components. The active agent is also a tooth cleaning agent that enhances overall brushing efficacy.

The active agent is provided in an aqueous solution or in any suitable medium, such as in the form of a gel or paste. The medium has a variety of different visual aesthetics, including clear solutions or gels or obscure solutions or gels. Non-limiting examples of media include water, monohydric alcohols such as ethanol, poly (ethylene oxide) such as polyethylene glycols such as PEG 2M, 5M, 7M, 14M, 23M, 45M, and 90M, commercially available from Union Carbide. ), Carboxymethylene polymers such as Carbopol® 934 and 974 commercially available from BF Goodrich, and combinations thereof. Selection of the appropriate medium can be made apparent to those skilled in the art, depending on the required properties of the medium, such as viscosity, and on factors such as the nature of the active agent. Examples of tooth whitening ingredients are described in US Pat. Nos. 6,770,266 and 6,669,930, which are incorporated herein by reference.

Table 1 describes the cetylpyridinium chloride gels dispensed in the cavity during brushing as fungicides.

Table 1

Component Wt% Carbopol 974P 2-5 PEG 600 10 FD & C blue # 1 (1% aqueous solution) 0.5 Cetylpyridinium Chloride 20 water Q.S.

Table 2 shows, for example, the composition of a respiratory protective solid slow-melting wafer dispensed in a cavity as described herein.

Table 2

Component Wt% Hydroxyethylene cellulose 20 Hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose 30 Propylene glycol 10 Tricroic acid 20 Zinc Gluconate 20

In one configuration, the head 20 and / or base 40 are structures capable of removing and / or replacing the active insert 55 without disassembling the head 20. For example, an opening was installed in the head to remove the current active insert and place the new active insert in the cavity without disassembling the head 20. In addition, the replacement active insert 55 would only need to be added to the cavity after the previous active insert had been consumed, so it would need to be placed in the cavity. Therefore, a small hole for inserting only the new active insert 55 is added to the oral care implement design. A slot is provided at the distal tip of the head, which is sized according to the height of the cavity 50. The slot is sealable or lockable to close open holes during brushing. In another configuration, the oral care implement is also configured as a one-time device so that the device can be discarded when the active insert 55 is fully used.

6A and 6B show an example of the configuration of the tuft insert. Tuft inserts 260 and 360, respectively, described are shown in various structures with respect to the oral care elements 265 and 365 of the passageway and the catheter. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that many other structures are available, not limited to the illustrative examples of FIGS. 6A and 6B, as described above. In Figures 6A and 6B, oral care elements 265 and 365 (e.g., tooth cleaning elements) are elongated upwardly from the holes in the conduit 65. The oral care elements 265, 365 have a hollow interior forming a lumen to be in fluid communication with the active insert 55 and the active agent (s). The oral care elements 265 and 365 are formed of elastomeric materials known to be used for tooth cleaning. In such a device, the toothpaste and / or active agent stays near the tip of the oral care element 265, 365 during the brushing operation, allowing the cleaning element to effectively clean and drain the tissue in the mouth. Shore hardness ranging from A15 to A35; Shore hardness ranging from A20 to A30; Or by taking Shore hardness ranging from A25 to A28 to provide comfort in addition to cleaning benefits. For example, the elastomeric material is styrene-ethylene / butylene-styrene block copolymer (SEBS) manufactured by GLS Corporation. However, as the material, it is also possible to use SEBS materials manufactured by other manufacturers, or other materials within or outside the above-mentioned hardness range. Oral care elements (265, 365) may be made in the required form. The element 265 is given in a cylindrical arrangement. The element 365 is of rectangular or oval shape with rounded corners in cross section. However, the above form can also be made in other forms.

7 to 12 show another example of the oral care appliance. 7 and 8 are perspective views of the head 20 of the oral care implement having a base 40, a cavity 50, and a tuft insert 60. FIG. Here, base 40 additionally has a separator 141. The separator 141 is shown as a rectangular member; Various shapes and cross sections can be used. The separator 141 is formed of the same material as the rest of the base 40 or is formed of another material. Separation 141 may also be formed as a permanent feature of base 40 in a single molding or as a removable or removable component.

Separation 141 as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 divides cavity 50 into two subcavities 50A and 50B arranged longitudinally in head 20. In one arrangement, the transverse separator 141 may have a composite member to further divide the cavity 50 into additional sub-cavities. Separation 141 is shown having a horizontal conduit 165 that passes material from sub-cavity 50A to sub-cavity 50B and vice versa. However, the separating part may be made of a member or a rigid member having no conduit connection sub-cavities 50A, 50B, depending on the application. For example, two sub-cavities can be completely separated. In this case, a member without a conduit 165, such as a rigid member, is utilized. 8 shows a cavity 50 containing a composite active insert 55 as described above.

9 and 10 show another example oral care device. In this configuration, the separator 141 includes a horizontal sheet member that divides the cavity 50 into two sub-cavities 50C and 50D. Here, the sub-cavities are arranged vertically, in contrast to the embodiment in which the sub-cavities 50A and 50B of FIG. 8 are arranged in the longitudinal direction.

11 and 12 show the configuration of the modified oral care appliance. In this arrangement the tuft insert 460 additionally has a separator 141 attached or formed as part of the base 61 of the tuft insert. In this configuration, in the head configuration, the cavity is divided into a plurality of sub-cavities as described above in connection with the configuration arrangement of FIGS. This structure can reuse or refill the oral care device without changing the head cavity with the composite active insert 55 being held in the head 20. This structure is made by changing the method of manufacturing the oral care implement 1 such that only the tuft insert has a separation portion. Thus, the complex oral care implement can be configured with an open cavity without incurring additional manufacturing costs.

The material used to form the head 20 includes one of a wide variety of compatible polymers. In one construct, the oral care implement 1 is molded from polypropylene to form one or more internal cavities during manufacture. It can be understood that the oral care implement 1 having various beneficial features including the size, shape and space of the cavity is made using a wide variety of materials. For example, the oral care implement 1 may have a cavity 50 that discharges the oral care agent (s) into the mouth of the user at different rates. The ratio is for example the size of the exposure area of each cavity 50 and the contained oral health care agent on the outer surfaces 22, 24, 26 of the head, the shape of the cavity 50, and the cavity 50. Depth and / or properties of the oral care active agent (s) contained therein.

Adjacent cavities 50 may be of different sizes to accommodate different amounts of oral care agent (s). As a result, the oral care device 1 has a release characteristic of different oral health care active agents, and can control when and how much of each agent to be released into the oral cavity. In addition, the nature of the material in the cavity may affect the release rate. The advantage of two (or more) cavities is that different emission rates from different cavities provide new treatment strategies or sensory impressions. For example, if the oral care agent in the cavity 50A is released faster than the cavity 50B, positive sequential effects may be obtained. If the cavity 50A contains plaque dispersant and the cavity 50B contains a fungicide, this configuration would be of great benefit in controlling the overall bacterial infection. Or, if the cavities 50A, 50B contained different flavors or concentrated sensates, their sequential release would provide the user with an altered flavor. These flavor changes can make the brushing experience more enjoyable, or signal that the user has brushed enough.

In one arrangement, if the cavity 50 contains the intended agent, the head 20 is advantageously used to distribute or release the oral care active agent in the mouth. The agents are released from their respective cavities 50 when they come into contact with fluids and / or chemicals in the mouth. In one construct, the agent penetrates into the active insert material and is released into the mouth while brushing teeth. During brushing teeth, water and chemicals will come into contact with the agent (s) in the cavity 50 in the head 20. This contact will cause a process in which the penetrated oral health care agent (s) is released from the cavity 50 in the head 20. The use of different oral health care actives in the cavities 50 of the same head 20 provides the user with the benefit of synergies in addition to different treatments for treating oral disease.

As described above, the oral care implement 1 can be manufactured using a wide range of molding techniques. In addition, a wide range of materials and parameters can be used to provide oral care devices with various necessary features. For example, in at least one of the foregoing examples, the oral care implement 1 is configured for permanent use and for disposal after the oral care agent has been consumed. In this case, the cavity 50 of the oral care implement 1 is filled with an oral health care active during the initial configuration.

While the present invention has been described in connection with specific examples having preferred modes of carrying out the invention, those skilled in the art will be able to make changes and modifications to the described configurations without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. All such changes and modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims (32)

A head having a cavity and a porous membrane defining a boundary of the cavity; An active insert disposed in the cavity in fluid communication with the membrane, and; A passage extending from the conduit in fluid communication with the active insert; And the conduit is disposed in the head opposite the membrane. 2. The oral care implement of claim 1, wherein the active insert comprises an oral health care agent. The oral care implement of claim 1, wherein the active insert comprises an oral care agent provided in a solid, semi-solid, liquid, gel or soluble construct. 4. The oral care implement of claim 3, wherein the active insert comprises a plurality of active inserts. 5. The oral care implement of claim 4, wherein the plurality of active inserts comprise other oral health care agents. delete delete The oral care implement of claim 1, wherein the passageway comprises a cleaning element of elastomeric material. 2. The oral care implement of claim 1, wherein the active insert comprises a plurality of inserts with different oral health care agents. 2. The oral care implement of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of active inserts divided by a separating member in the cavity. 11. The oral care implement of claim 10, wherein the plurality of active inserts are longitudinally disposed within the cavity. 11. The oral care device of claim 10, wherein the plurality of inserts are disposed orthogonally within the cavity. 11. The oral cavity management mechanism of claim 10, wherein the separation member comprises a conduit. The device of claim 1, wherein the head comprises a plate having at least one cleaning element; And the plate surrounds the cavity. 15. The oral care implement of claim 14, wherein the plate comprises a member attached to a cavity side that divides the plurality of active inserts. 15. The oral care implement of claim 14, wherein the plate is formed such that a portion of the active insert exits the cavity. 15. The oral care implement of claim 14, wherein the plate comprises a conduit in fluid communication with the active insert. 18. The oral care implement of claim 17, wherein the at least one cleaning element has a lumen extending from the conduit in fluid communication with the active insert. 19. The oral care implement of claim 18, wherein said cleaning element comprises an elastomeric material. The oral care device of claim 1, wherein the active insert is replaceable. The method of claim 1, wherein the active insert comprises the agent (s) selected from the following group: disinfectant; Anti-inflammatory agents; Anti-adhesives; Whitening agents; Anti-cavity or enamel therapeutics, cold ingredients; Tooth hypersensitivity component, nutrient component; Tartar control or anti-stain components; enzyme; Sensate component; And flavoring or flavoring ingredients; And combinations thereof. The method of claim 1, wherein the active insert comprises active agent (s) selected from the group consisting of: (i) an antimicrobial agent selected from the group consisting of chlorhexidine, cetyl pyridinium chloride, triclosan, zinc salts; (Ii) a whitening agent selected from the group consisting of hydrogen peroxide, urea peroxide, sodium percarbonate, and PVP-H ₂ 0 ₂ ; (Iii) gum health agents selected from the group consisting of polyphenols, triclosan, ethylpyruvate, and guanidinoethyl disulfide; (Iii) a nutrient component selected from the group consisting of vitamins, minerals, and folic acid; (v) tartar or anti-staining agents selected from the group consisting of phosphates, polyvinylphosphonic acids, PVM / MA copolymers; (Iii) menthol, carbon, and anesol, aldehydes, esters, alcohols, and spearmint oils, peppermint oils, wintergreen oils, sasafrase oils, clove oils, sage oils, eucalyptus oils, marger oils, broiler oils, lemons Flavor or flavor ingredients selected from the group consisting of oils, lime oils, grapefruit oils, or orange oils; (Iii) an anti-cavity component selected from the group consisting of sodium fluoride, sodium monofluorophosphate, and tin fluoride; (Iii) an anti-sensitizing component selected from the group consisting of tin fluoride and bioactive glass; (ix) colorants or other aesthetic agents; And (x) the combination. The oral care implement includes: a head having a cavity and a tuft plate defining a boundary of the cavity and having at least one hole; An active insert disposed in the cavity in fluid communication with the aperture, and; And an elastomeric lumen extending from said aperture. 24. The oral care implement of claim 23, wherein the active insert comprises an oral health care agent. 24. The oral care implement of claim 23, wherein the active insert comprises an oral care agent provided in a solid, semi-solid, liquid, gel or soluble construct. 27. The oral care implement of claim 25, wherein the active insert comprises a plurality of active inserts. 27. The oral care implement of claim 26, wherein each of the plurality of active inserts comprises a different oral care agent. The method of claim 23, wherein the head comprises a membrane defining a lower boundary of the cavity; And the plate defines an upper boundary of the cavity and an active insert in fluid communication with the membrane. delete 24. The oral care implement of claim 23, wherein the lumen comprises a cleaning element. The method of claim 23, wherein the active insert comprises agent (s) selected from the group consisting of: Antibacterial agents; Anti-inflammatory agents; Antiadhesives; Whitening agents; Anti-cavity or enamel therapeutics, cold ingredients; Tooth hypersensitivity component; Nutrient components; Tartar control or anti-stain components; enzyme; Sensate component; And flavoring or flavoring ingredients; And the combination thereof. The method of claim 23, wherein the active insert comprises active agent (s) selected from the group consisting of: (i) an antimicrobial agent selected from the group consisting of chlorhexidine, cetyl pyridinium chloride, triclosan, zinc salts; (Ii) a whitening agent selected from the group consisting of hydrogen peroxide, urea peroxide, sodium percarbonate, and PVP-H ₂ 0 ₂ ; (Iii) gum health actives selected from the group consisting of polyphenols, triclosan, ethylpyruvate, and guanidinoethyl disulfide; (Iii) a nutrient component selected from the group consisting of vitamins, minerals, and folic acid; (v) tartar control or anti-staining agents selected from the group consisting of phosphates, polyvinylphosphonic acids, PVM / MA copolymers; (Iii) menthol, carbon, and anesol, aldehydes, esters, alcohols, and spearmint oils, peppermint oils, wintergreen oils, sasafrase oils, clove oils, sage oils, eucalyptus oils, marger oils, broiler oils, lemons Flavoring or flavoring ingredients selected from the group consisting of oil, lime oil, grapefruit oil, or orange oil; (Iii) an anti-cavity component selected from the group consisting of sodium fluoride, sodium monofluorophosphate, and tin fluoride; (Iii) an anti-sensitizing component selected from the group consisting of tin fluoride and bioactive glass; (ix) colorants or other aesthetic agents; And (x) the combination.

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