COATED DENTAL DEVICES WITH DRY-TO-THE-TOUCH, FLAVOR-ABSORBING, SALIVA SOLUBLE COATINGS AND METHODS FOR MANUFACTURING

Abstract

Coated, disposable, one-handed, dental devices, including dental flossers, dental picks and dental stimulators, having dry-to-the-touch, flavor-absorbing, saliva soluble coatings that are suitable for subsequently absorbing volatile flavors from a flavor reservoir, while maintained under flavor-sealed conditions, wherein tumbling motion is imparted to said devices while simultaneously coating said tumbling devices with multiple coatings of the dry-to-the-touch-coatings, wherein said multiple coatings comprise from between about 0.25 and about 6% by weight of said multicoated devices.

Description

Claims

1. A method for coating disposable, one-handed dental devices with dry-to-the-touch, flavor-absorbing, saliva soluble coatings suitable for subsequently absorbing volatile flavors, comprising: (a) introducing said devices into a moving coating drum that imparts tumbling motion to said dental devices,(b) introducing, periodically into said drum, a dry-to-the-touch, saliva soluble, coating mixtures,(c) coating said moving dental devices with coatings of said dry-to-the-touch, flavor-absorbing, saliva soluble, coating mixtures,(d) removing substantially all the moisture between coatings, and(e) discharging said coated dental devices from said coating drum, at such time as said dry-to-the-touch, flavor-absorbing coating comprises from between about 0.25 and about 6% by weight of said coated devices.

2. An apparatus useful for coating disposable, one-handed dental devices with multiple dry-to-the-touch, flavor-absorbing, saliva soluble coatings that includes: (a) a coating drum arrangement, which preferably rotates around an axis, keeping dental devices introduced into said drum in motion,(b) a means for periodically introducing a dry-to-the-touch, flavor-absorbing, saliva soluble, coating mixture containing high levels of active ingredients into said drum at a controllable rate, and(c) controllable heat and air flow means for removing moisture from said dry-to-the-touch, flavor-adsorbing, coated dental devices between coatings as they are tumbled in said coating drum.

3. A method for coating disposable, one-handed dental devices with dry-to-the-touch, flavor-absorbing, saliva soluble, coating mixtures containing chemotherapeutic ingredients and suitable for absorbing volatile flavors, comprising: introducing said devices into a coating vessel that imparts motion to said devices, periodically introducing said dry-to-the-touch, saliva soluble, coating mixtures containing chemotherapeutic ingredients into said coating vessel, and removing moisture from said vessel between coating applications with the introduction of controllable heat and air flow.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein said dry-to-the-touch, saliva soluble, flavor-absorbing, coating mixture contains a surfactant selected from the group consisting of solid and liquid surfactants and mixtures thereof.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein said saliva soluble, flavor-absorbing coating contains a polydimethylsiloxane.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein said dry-to-the-touch, saliva soluble, flavor-absorbing coating contains a film former.

7. Disposable, one-handed, flavor-absorbing, coated dental devices produced by adapting confectionery coating processes, including: (a) introducing said devices into a moving coating drum that imparts tumbling motion to said dental devices,(b) introducing, periodically into said drum, a dry-to-the-touch, flavor-absorbing, saliva soluble, coating mixture,(c) coating said moving dental devices with said coating mixtures,(d) removing substantially all the moisture between coatings, and(e) discharging said dry-to-the-touch, flavor-adsorbing, coated dental devices from said coating drum, at such time as said coating comprises from between about 0.25 and about 6% by weight of said coated devices.

8. In confectionery coating technology, the improvement comprising introducing disposable, one-handed dental devices into a rotating confectionery coating drum and periodically introducing dry-to-the-touch, flavor-absorbing, saliva soluble, coating mixtures to coat said devices with multiple coatings of a dry-to-the-touch, saliva soluble, coating that is capable of subsequently absorbing volatile flavors.

9. A method according to claim 6, wherein said film former is selected from the group consisting of hydroxypropyl cellulose, methylcellulose, ethylcelluose, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, hydroxymethylcellulose, carboxymethylcellulose, gelatin and mixtures thereof.

10. A coated, disposable, one-handed, dental device having a flavor-absorbing, saliva soluble coating contained in a flavor-sealed package fitted with a flavor reservoir containing a volatile flavor.

11. A coated, disposable, one-handed, dental device having a flavor-absorbing, saliva soluble coating, and having adsorbed a volatile flavor from a flavor reservoir, while contained in a flavor-sealed package.

12. A dental device according to claim 10, wherein said flavor-sealed package is purged with an inert gas, prior to sealing.

13. A dental device according to claim 12, wherein said dental device is selected from the group consisting of dental flossers, dental stimulators, dental picks, dental massagers, proxy brushes and combinations thereof.

14. The confectionery coating technology according to claim 8, wherein said saliva soluble coating is substantially flavor-free.

15. A coated dental device according to claim 11, wherein said saliva soluble, flavor-absorbing coating is selected from the group consisting of waxes, emulsions, film-formers and combinations thereof.

16. A dental device according to claim 11, wherein said flavor reservoir is selected from the group consisting of blotter paper, absorbent paper, absorbent resins, cotton, ethylene vinyl acetate, absorbent polymers, and combinations thereof.

17. A dental device according to claim 11, wherein said flavor-sealed package is purged with nitrogen, prior to sealing.

18. A dental device according to claim 11, wherein said dental device is a proxy brush and said flavor-absorbing, saliva soluble coating contains a chemotherapeutic ingredient.

19. A proxy brush according to claim 18, wherein said chemotherapeutic ingredient is selected from the group consisting of antimicrobials, anti-tartar substances, anti-plaque substances, remineralizing agents, desensitizing agents, NSAIDs, antibiotics, nutraceuticals and combinations thereof.

20. A proxy brush according to claim 19, wherein said antimicrobial is selected from the group consisting of cetylpyridinium chloride, triclosan, chlorhexidine, metronidazole and combinations thereof.

21. A method according to claim 3 for coating said one-handed dental devices is selected from the group consisting of pan coating, fluidized bed coating, dragee kettle coating, perforated pan coating, vibrating screen coating and combinations thereof.

22. A method according to claim 21, wherein the coating of said devices uses a modified confectionery pan coating.

23. A method according to claim 21, wherein the coating of said devices uses a modified confectionery fluidized bed coating.

24. A method according to claim 21, wherein the coating of said devices uses a modified confectionery dragee kettle coating.

25. A method according to claim 21, wherein the coating of said devices uses a modified confectionery perforated pan coating.

26. A method according to claim 21, wherein the coating of said devices uses a vibrating screen coating.