Patent Application
20180352944
The present disclosure generally relates to dental hygiene devices and methods of use and more particularly to dental hygiene devices and methods of use configured to clean at least one tooth by applying a force in at least one substantially vertical direction.
The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
Dental hygiene has been important to humans for thousands of years. Historians believe that as early as 3500 B.C., Babylonians and Egyptians began using “toothsticks” to clean teeth. These toothsticks typically consisted merely of a twig with a frayed end. Later, around 1600 B.C., the Chinese are credited with developing “chewing sticks” made form aromatic tree twigs that functioned essentially as breath fresheners.
Toothbrushes are thought to have taken on a more recognizable design around the 15th century when the Chinese took bristles from the necks of pigs and attached them to handles made of bone or bamboo. The Europeans later modified this design by using horsehairs or feathers for bristles, which were softer than the bristles acquired from pigs.
The design of the toothbrush continued to be tweaked for many years. Finally, in 1938, a toothbrush was created that utilized nylon bristles, very similar to the types of toothbrushes available today. Electric toothbrushes were introduced in 1939.
The design of a particular toothbrush can largely impact how it is used. Manual toothbrushes that are currently available typically comprise an elongated head that is affixed at a distal end to an elongated handle in a substantially parallel orientation thereto. A plurality of bristles protrudes from at least one surface of the head in a variety of configurations. With this design, users are inclined to brush their teeth using either a lateral sawing (side-to-side) motion and/or a rotary/circular motion with substantial lateral movements. Either of these brushing methods has the potential to cause strong abrasive forces to impact a user's teeth, thereby causing various types of tooth abrasion as well as damage to the periodontium. Such tooth abrasion is evidenced by, for example, the development of a generally horizontal groove on a tooth's surface within the gingival third of the tooth, within the gingival third of the crown of the tooth, and/or within the cervical third the root of the tooth. This groove may comprise various depths and may consist of gingival recession and/or root dissolution. Currently available electric toothbrushes provide similar movements and oftentimes make the abrasive forces worse due to the high strength of the forces they inflict on teeth.
The cementoenamal junction (CEJ) of a tooth is particularly prone to experiencing damage from abrasive brushing forces. This is where the cervical third of the tooth's crown meets the cervical third of the tooth's root and is also where the enamel of the tooth is the thinnest, at the gingival margin, where the tooth inserts itself into the gum.
Given the foregoing, dental hygiene devices and associated methods of use are needed that facilitate the cleaning of at least one tooth while minimizing the application of strong abrasive forces associated with such tooth cleaning and the resulting damage associated therewith.
This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts. These concepts are further described below in the Detailed Description section. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of this disclosure's subject matter, nor is this Summary intended as an aid in determining the scope of the disclosed subject matter.
Aspects of the present disclosure provide dental hygiene devices and associated methods of use which facilitate the ability of a user to perform at least one oral hygiene action, such as the cleaning of one or more teeth or the cleaning of one or more inner mouth surfaces (including the gingiva and the tongue), while minimizing the application of abrasive forces that may impact the teeth during cleaning. Specifically, in an aspect, dental hygiene devices are disclosed that are configured to be moved across the surface of a given tooth in a substantially vertical up and down motion. Being that teeth and their associated gingiva have an anatomical design that gives them a relatively high capacity to withstand and/or deflect axial forces due to their role in chewing food, it has been observed that cleaning them using substantially vertical movements does not result in the types of abrasion associated with lateral and/or rotary movements. Thus, dental hygiene devices in accordance with the present disclosure are able to remove biofilm and material alba from the exposed surfaces of teeth without forming abrasive horizontal grooves at the gingival margins and/or CEJ and without causing gingival recession and/or root dissolution. Additionally, vertically oriented movements may better facilitate the cleaning of spaces and/or grooves between teeth than lateral and/or rotary brushing movements.
In an aspect, dental hygiene devices in accordance with the present disclosure may comprise an elongated handle to which a smaller elongated head is attached at a distal end in a substantially perpendicular orientation relative thereto. In some aspects, the distal end of the handle to which the head is affixed may be attached to a central portion of the head. In some additional aspects, the head may comprise a substantially rectangular shape with rounded corners. In still some additional aspects, the angle made by the intersection of the head and the handle may be rounded and/or one or more sides of the handle may be rounded. The rounding some or all corners of the head and/or the handle and/or the intersection thereof may help prevent discomfort and/or minimize friction as they impact various portions of a user's mouth. In yet some additional aspects, the handle may comprise one or more recesses and/or grooves configured to at least partially receive at least one user finger in order to facilitate the ability of a user to grip the handle securely and/or comfortably.
Having the head of dental hygiene devices in accordance with the present disclosure configured perpendicularly to the handle may facilitate the ability of a user to clean one or more teeth by using substantially vertical up and down motions. In some aspects, these motions may further comprise short vibratory movements. The perpendicular head configuration may allow a user to hold the handle substantially vertically while cleaning one or more teeth instead of horizontally, thereby resulting in getting the user to perform the desired vertical motions across each tooth's surface. Such movements may be made, for example, across the facial (front) surface(s) of each tooth until the back molar is reached. Then, the user may pivot the head around the back molar (or other end tooth in a given row) and continue brushing the lingual (back) surface(s) of each tooth using the same substantially vertical motions until the exposed surfaces of every tooth have been cleaned.
In some aspects, the head of dental hygiene devices in accordance with the present disclosure may be separated from the handle by a neck section. The neck section may be parallel to and extend from a distal end of the handle. The other end of the neck section may securely receive the head with the same perpendicular configuration as the handle would, as described above. Separating the handle from the head by using the neck section may allow a user to clean one or more teeth while keeping the handle and/or one or both hands that grip the handle from entering the mouth during cleaning, thereby facilitating a more comfortable and/or hygienic user experience. In some additional aspects, one or more sides of the neck section may be rounded, in order to facilitate user comfort and/or minimize friction as the neck section impacts various portions of the user's mouth.
In some aspects, at least one surface of the head of dental hygiene devices in accordance with the present disclosure may comprise at least one protruding at least partially flexible member, such as a nylon bristle. Multiple flexible members may be grouped into tufts. These tufts may be organized into various numbers of rows and/or columns. The flexible member(s) may facilitate the cleaning of one or more teeth by impacting the various exposed surfaces of the teeth in a flexible/displaceable way so as to allow for one or more of the flexible member(s) to maintain physical contact with a given tooth surface while encountering various curves, bumps, crevices, and other distortions upon the tooth. In some additional aspects, the flexible member(s) may be configured upon a raised base platform upon at least one surface of the head.
In some aspects, dental hygiene devices in accordance with the present disclosure may comprise one or more additional components, such as gum/tissue massagers and/or tongue scrapers. These additional components may be located on one or more surfaces of the head, or on a portion of the handle or neck section, such as the distal end of the handle opposite the end to which the head or neck section is attached.
Further features and advantages of the present disclosure, as well as the structure and operation of various aspects of the present disclosure, are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The features and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent from the Detailed Description set forth below when taken in conjunction with the drawings in which like reference numbers indicate identical or functionally similar elements.
The present disclosure is directed to dental hygiene devices and associated methods of use for facilitating the performance of at least one oral hygiene action, such as the cleaning of one or more teeth or the cleaning of one or more inner mouth surfaces (including the gingiva and the tongue). Aspects of the present disclosure provide dental hygiene devices and associated methods of use that facilitate the ability of a user to clean one or more teeth while minimizing the application of potentially damaging abrasive forces to the teeth being cleaned. Specifically, in an aspect, dental hygiene devices and associated methods of use are disclosed that are configured to be moved in one or more substantially vertical directions in relation to one or more teeth being cleaned, thereby removing debris, such as biofilm and material alba, from the teeth by applying one or more axial forces to one or more surfaces of the teeth instead of lateral forces, which have been shown to cause tooth abrasion, especially at or near the gingival margin and/or CEJ (where the tooth enamel is thinnest), including gingival recession and root dissolution. Being that teeth and the associated gingiva are anatomically designed to withstand axial forces associated with mastication, such forces are preferable for teeth cleaning as they are less likely to cause damaging effects. To facilitate the desired vertical movement(s), dental hygiene devices in accordance with the present disclosure may comprise a head element affixed to a handle portion in a substantially perpendicular fashion. This configuration causes a user to be inclined to hold such dental hygiene devices in a vertical fashion instead of a horizontal fashion while engaging in the cleaning of one or more teeth and thus enables the user to move the devices in substantially vertical directions instead of lateral ones, such as by making substantially vertical up and down and/or short vibratory movements.
The term “oral hygiene action” and/or the plural form of this term are used throughout herein to refer to any activity which may serve to clean or otherwise improve the hygiene of one or more parts of a user's mouth, including the cleaning of one or more teeth and the cleaning of one or more inner mouth surfaces (including the gingiva and the tongue), such as by removing biofilm, removing material alba, and the like.
The term “dental hygiene device” and/or the plural form of this term are used throughout herein to refer to any device or apparatus configured to perform one or more oral hygiene actions within a user's mouth, such as toothbrushes, tongue scrapers, gum stimulators, toothpicks, tissue massagers, and the like.
The term “user” and/or the plural form of this term are used throughout herein to refer to any individual or being that may utilize and/or receive one or more benefits associated with the use of dental hygiene devices in accordance with the present disclosure, such as to clean any portion of such user's mouth, such as the teeth, wherein such users include but are not limited to humans, dogs, cats, other animals, and the like.
Referring now to
In an aspect, dental hygiene device 100 may comprise a handle portion 102 and a head element 106. Head element 106 may be affixed to a distal end of handle portion 102 such that a long axis of head element 106 may be in a substantially perpendicular orientation relative to a long axis of handle portion 102. In some aspects, the distal end of handle portion 102 to which head element 106 is affixed may be attached to a horizontal midpoint of a bottom portion of head element 106. In some additional aspects, head element 106 may comprise an elongated shape, such as a rectangle, or any other appropriate shape as may be apparent to those skilled in the relevant art(s) after reading the description herein. In still some additional aspects, one or more corners 110 (labeled only as corner 110a in
In some aspects, dental hygiene device 100 may further comprise a neck section 104. Neck section 104 may serve to interconnect head element 106 and handle portion 102 in order to prevent and/or minimize the need for any part of handle portion 102 (and/or any portion of one or both of a user's hands) from entering the user's mouth, thereby facilitating a more comfortable and/or hygienic user experience. In some additional aspects, a central vertical axis of neck section 104 may substantially align with a central vertical axis of handle portion 102. In some further additional aspects, a first distal end of neck section 104 may be affixed to handle portion 102 and a second distal end of neck section 104 may adjoin to a horizontally central location upon a bottom portion of head element 106. In still some additional aspects, one or more corners 118 (labeled only as corner 118a in
In some aspects, handle portion 106 may comprise at least one generally concave recess 114. Recess 114 may provide a gradual means of transitioning the thickness of dental hygiene device 100 from handle portion 102 to neck section 104 or head element 106, particularly in aspects wherein the thickness of handle portion 102 is greater than the thickness of neck section 104 or head element 106. In some additional aspects, recess 114 may enhance the ability of a user to grip or grab dental hygiene device 100, such as, by way of example and not limitation, by providing a resting place for a user's thumb and/or one or more other fingers. In still some additional aspects, recess 114 may be located on an upper portion of handle portion 102.
In some aspects, dental hygiene device 100 may comprise more than one head element 106. In such aspects, additional head element(s) 106 may be affixed to various portions of dental hygiene device 100, including, by way of example and not limitation, to the same and/or opposite distal end of handle portion 102 to which the first head element 106 or neck section 104 is affixed, to various portions of the first head element 106 itself, including a back portion 204 (not shown in
In some aspects, neck section 104, handle portion 102, and/or head element 106 may comprise one or more polypropylene substances or any other appropriate substance(s) as may be apparent to those skilled in the relevant art(s) after reading the description herein, including one or more plastics, rubbers, woods, metals, other polymers, and any combination thereof. Substance(s) that comprise neck section 104, handle portion 102, and/or head element 106 may be chosen that are at least partially flexible and/or that have a proportional limit that is greater than the amount of stress placed on the one or more teeth 602 being cleaned by head element 106, neck section 104, and/or handle portion 102. In some additional aspects, neck section 104, handle portion 102, and/or head element 106 may be interconnected, either permanently or removably, via various means, including by being molded and/or fused together, via one or more adhesives, via one or more fastening devices (including screws, nuts, snaps, prongs, detents, tabs, clips, crevices, bolts, nails, prongs, clasps, snaps, clamps, and the like), or by any other appropriate means as may be apparent to those skilled in the relevant art(s) after reading the description herein. In still some additional aspects, neck section 104, handle portion 102, and/or head element 106 may all be formed from a single piece of material. In yet some further additional aspects, neck section 104, handle portion 102, head element 106, and/or an entire dental hygiene device 100 may be formed via one or more additive manufacturing processes, such as, by way of example and not limitation, via 3D printing.
In some aspects, head element 106 may comprise an elongated shape, such as, by way of example and not limitation, a rectangle. In some additional aspects, head element 106 may comprise a length of 21 millimeters, a width of 10 millimeters, and a thickness of five millimeters. Other various shapes and/or sizes of head element 106 may be used as may be relevant to those skilled in the relevant art(s) after reading the description herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. In still some additional aspects, the intersection of attachment between head element 106 and neck section 104 or handle portion 102 may include at least one generally concave incline 116 to transition from the thickness of neck section 104 or handle portion 102 to the thickness of head element 106, particularly in aspects wherein the thickness of head element 106 is less than the thickness of neck section 104 or handle portion 102. By way of example and not limitation, incline 116 may comprise a slope of approximately 135 degrees and a length of two millimeters; however, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the relevant art(s) after reading the description herein, other proportions and sizes may be used for incline 116 without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. In yet some additional aspects, one or both edges 112 (labeled only as edge 112a in
In some aspects, head element 106 may further comprise a raised base platform 108. Base platform 108 may be configured to securely receive at least one elongated flexible member 502 (not shown in
In some aspects, a distal end 120 of handle portion 102 that opposes head element 106 may comprise one or more additional components, such as a tongue scraper, gum stimulator, tissue massager, toothpick, and/or any other similar component as may be apparent to those skilled in the relevant art(s) after reading the description herein. In some additional aspects, such additional components may be configured upon various other portions of dental hygiene device 100, such as, by way of example and not limitation, back portion 204 of head element 106.
Referring now to
In some aspects, the central vertical axis of neck section 104 and/or head element 106 may be offset from the central vertical axis of handle portion 102. In such aspects, handle portion 102 may comprise a gradient 202. Gradient 202 may facilitate the ability of a user to clean one or more teeth 602 (not shown in
In some aspects, back portion 204 of head element 106 may comprise one or more additional components, such as, by way of example and not limitation, a tongue scraper, a gum stimulator, a tissue massager, a toothpick, and/or similar component(s) as may be apparent to those skilled in the relevant art(s) after reading the description herein.
Referring now to
A distal end of one or more flexible members 502 may be securely attached to dental hygiene device 100, such as, by way of example and not limitation, at a surface of head element 106 and/or base platform 108 (not labeled in
In some aspects, dental hygiene device 100 may comprise a plurality of flexible members 502. In some additional aspects, multiple flexible members 502 may be arranged into one or more groupings or tufts. By way of example and not limitation, each tuft may comprise a circumference of approximately one millimeter and comprise approximately 40 flexible members 502. Multiple tufts and/or multiple individual flexible members 502 may, by way of example and not limitation, be arranged upon head element 106 and/or base platform 108 or any other appropriate portion of dental hygiene device 100 in a grid-like arrangement of one or more rows and one or more columns. By way of example and not limitation, in some aspects, dental hygiene device 100 may comprise tufts in four rows and nine columns. In some additional aspects, each tuft may be approximately one millimeter from any adjacent tuft(s), approximately one millimeter from the upper and lower edges of head element 106 and/or base platform 108, and approximately two millimeters from the right and left side edges of head element 106 and/or base platform 108. By way of example and not limitation, each flexible member 502 may comprise a length of approximately 10 millimeters.
As will be appreciated by those skilled in the relevant art(s) after reading the description herein, other arrangements, sizes, groupings, distributions, and/or configurations of flexible member(s) 502 may be used without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. In some aspects, it may be desirable to configure/arrange flexible members 502 so as to achieve soft abrasive values in order to facilitate the ability of dental hygiene device 100 to prevent and/or minimize the amount of abrasive forces applied to one or more teeth 602 (not shown in
Referring now to
Dental hygiene device 100 may be configured to be held by a user in a substantially vertical fashion, with head element 106 configured in a substantially perpendicular orientation relative to neck section 104 and/or handle portion 102 (not shown in
By moving head element 106 and/or flexible member(s) 502 that may be integrated therewith in a substantially vertical direction during cleaning, forces get applied to the surface(s) of one or more teeth 602 in a direction that is significantly parallel to the axial forces they incur while, for example, chewing food. Being that teeth 602 and their associated gingiva 606, including the periodontium, are configured anatomically to withstand such forces relatively well, this causes less abrasion to teeth 602, including less gingival recession and root dissolution at or near gingival margins 604 and less damage to the periodontium, than would movement of head element 106 and/or flexible member(s) 502 that may be integrated therewith in a lateral or saw-like fashion. This is particularly useful in preventing abrasion at the CEJ (located near gingival margins 604), where the enamel of each tooth 602 is the thinnest. Additionally, dental hygiene device 100 may be used to take advantage of the various bulges associated with one or more gingival margins 604 associated with one or more teeth 602 in order to minimize the strength of the abrasive forces applied at the soft tissue junction. This may be accomplished by using substantially vertical and/or vibratory brushing movements with head element 106 and/or one or more flexible members 502 that may be integrated therewith to redirect the brushing forces away from gingiva 606 while facilitating the ability of head element 106, base platform 108, and/or flexible member(s) 502 to remain interfaced with the entire cervical portion of one or more teeth 602 with a lesser degree of force than with substantially lateral brushing movements. Furthermore, the substantially vertical movements of head element 106 and/or flexible member(s) 502 that may be integrated therewith may allow a user to better clean spaces 610 (labeled only as spaces 610a-b in
Referring now to
When cleaning the facial surface(s) of one or more teeth 602 in either the maxillary or mandibular row, a user may hold dental hygiene device 100 such that distal end 120 (not shown in
Referring now to
Process 800 begins at step 802 with control passing immediately to step 804.
At step 804, a user prepares dental hygiene device 100 for use. By way of example and not limitation, this may include removing dental hygiene device from a storage location and/or container, assembling one or more components of dental hygiene device 100 (such as by way of example and not limitation, attaching neck section 104 (not shown in
Once dental hygiene device 100 is prepared for use, process 800 proceeds to step 806.
At step 806, the user positions dental hygiene device 100 at a first cleaning location with handle portion 102 in a substantially vertical orientation, with distal end 120 (not shown in
Once dental hygiene device 100 is in position at a first cleaning location, process 800 proceeds to step 808.
At step 808, the user moves dental hygiene device 100 using substantially vertical movements, such as, by way of example and not limitation, alternating up and down motions, while making at least temporary contact with at least one surface of one or more teeth 602 to be cleaned. In some aspects, such contact may be made with at least a portion head element 106 (not shown in
As a user moves dental hygiene device 100, dental hygiene device 100 may take advantage of the various bulges associated with one or more gingival margins 604 associated with one or more teeth 602 in order to minimize the strength of the abrasive forces applied at the soft tissue junction. Using substantially vertical brushing movements with dental hygiene device 100 may serve to redirect the brushing forces away from gingiva 606 while facilitating the ability of head element 106, base platform 108, and/or one or more flexible members 502 that may be associated therewith to remain interfaced with the entire cervical portion of one or more teeth 602 with a lesser degree of force than with substantially lateral brushing movements. Additionally, the substantially vertical up and down motions of dental hygiene device 100 (and the various portions thereof) may facilitate the minimization of damaging abrasion to one or more teeth 602 (such as, by way of example and not limitation, at the CEJ) along with the minimization of periodontium damage. Furthermore, the substantially vertical up and down motions of dental hygiene device 100 (and the various portions thereof) may serve to improve a user's ability to clean spaces 610 (not shown in
At step 810, the user determines whether more teeth 602 are to be cleaned. If the answer is in the affirmative, process 800 proceeds to step 812. If the answer is negative, process 800 proceeds to step 824. Such a determination may be made, at least in part, based on whether any teeth 602 remain that have not been cleaned already and/or whether the user has time to clean more teeth.
At step 812, the user determines whether the last tooth 602 that was cleaned is the last tooth 602 (or the end tooth 602) (typically a molar) within a row of teeth 602 (such as the maxillary or mandibular row). If the answer is in the affirmative, process 800 proceeds to step 816. If the answer is negative, process 800 proceeds to step 814.
At step 814, the user moves dental hygiene device 100 as needed to clean one or more additional teeth 602. In some aspects, such teeth 602 may be adjacent to the one or more teeth 602 that were just cleaned, in which case head element 106 and/or and any flexible members 502 that may be integrated therewith may be moved in a substantially horizontal fashion, with or without maintaining contact with at least one surface of one or more teeth 602; or, in some additional aspects, the additional teeth 602 to be cleaned may be located at a different location within the mouth, in which case head element 106 and/or any flexible members 502 that may be integrated therewith may be moved in any desired fashion, with or without maintaining contact with at least one surface of one or more teeth 602. Once dental hygiene device 100 has been moved as needed to clean one or more additional teeth 602, the cleaning process may continue.
At step 816, the user determines whether to continue cleaning the current row of teeth 602 (either the maxillary row or the mandibular row) by cleaning the other side of the teeth 602 that were just cleaned; that is, if the facial surfaces of such teeth 602 were just cleaned, then the user determines whether to clean the lingual surfaces, and vice versa. If the answer is in the affirmative, process 800 proceeds to step 818. If the answer is negative, process 800 proceeds to step 820.
At step 818, the user uses a pivoting motion (or any similar movement as may be apparent to those skilled in the relevant art(s) after reading the description herein) to bring head element 106 (and any flexible members 502 that may be integrated therewith) of dental hygiene device 100 completely around the outer surface of the last/end tooth 602 in the current row (either the maxillary row or the mandibular row) to switch from cleaning the facial surfaces of teeth 602 in the current row to cleaning the lingual surfaces of teeth 602 in the current row, or vice versa. In some aspects, this pivoting type motion may be performed while the user keeps dental hygiene device in a substantially vertical orientation in order to maintain the benefits of using the substantially vertical up and down and/or vibratory movements and thereby prevent and/or minimize unwanted abrasion to teeth 602, including gingival recession and/or root dissolution, particularly at the CEJ. Additionally, the pivoting motion may be engaged in with or without maintaining contact between head element 106 and/or at least a portion of flexible member(s) 502 that may be integrated therewith and at least one surface of the last/end tooth 602 in the given row being cleaned.
At step 820, the user determines whether to clean a new row (in most cases, the other row) of teeth 602. This determination may depend, in large part, on whether or not the other row of teeth 602 has been cleaned yet and/or whether the user has time to clean the teeth 602 in the other row. If the determination is in the affirmative, process 800 proceeds to step 822. If the determination is in the negative, process 800 proceeds to step 824.
At step 822, the user moves dental hygiene device 100 via any desired method; with or without maintaining contact between head element 106, base platform 108, and/or flexible member(s) 502 and at least one tooth 602 surface; and positions dental hygiene device 100 at a second cleaning location with handle portion 102 in a substantially vertical orientation, with distal end 120 directed either upwardly or downwardly. The second cleaning location may comprise either a facial or lingual surface of one more teeth 602 at any location within the new row of teeth 602 to be cleaned. If the second cleaning location comprises a lingual surface of one or more teeth 602, then the user may be forced to hold dental hygiene device 100 such that distal end 120 is directed downwardly when cleaning the maxillary row and is directed upwardly when cleaning the mandibular row.
At step 824 process 800 is terminated and process 800 ends.
While various aspects of the present disclosure have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example and not limitation. It will be apparent to persons skilled in the relevant art(s) that various changes in form and detail can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Thus, the present disclosure should not be limited by any of the above described exemplary aspects, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents. Various configurations of head element 106, neck section 104, handle portion 102, and/or flexible members 502, as well as any other portions of dental hygiene device 100 may be used without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Additionally, those skilled in the relevant art(s) will appreciate that additional methods of use and/or alternative orders of the exemplary method given may be engaged in using dental hygiene device 100; thus, the present disclosure should not be limited to the examples given herein. Furthermore, although various shapes, sizes, proportions, and other measurements for the various components of dental hygiene device 100 have been given for exemplary purposes, it will be apparent to those skilled in the relevant art(s) that those may also be adjusted without departing from the sprit and scope of the present disclosure.
In addition, it should be understood that the figures in the attachments, which highlight the structure, methodology, functionality and advantages of the present disclosure, are presented for example purposes only. The present disclosure is sufficiently flexible and configurable, such that it may be implemented in ways other than that shown in the accompanying figures (e.g., implementation within configurations and methods other than those mentioned herein). As will be appreciated by those skilled in the relevant art(s) after reading the description herein, certain features from different aspects of the devices and methods of the present disclosure may be combined to form yet new aspects of the present disclosure.
Further, the purpose of the foregoing Abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the relevant art(s) who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of this technical disclosure. The Abstract is not intended to be limiting as to the scope of the present disclosure in any way.
