Oral care instrument including an oral care agent.

(54) Title: ORAL CARE INSTRUMENT INCLUDING AN ORAL CARE AGENT.

(54) Title: ORAL CARE INSTRUMENT INCLUDING AN ORAL CARE AGENT.

(57) Summary

The present invention relates to an oral care instrument comprising: at least one oral care agent; a wear indicator; and a head; characterized in that said at least one oral care agent is provided in a removable member secured to the head, wherein said removable member is configured to function as the wear indicator.

(57) Abstract

An oral care instrument (1) includes at least one oral care agent. In one embodiment, the oral care agent can be provided on one or more surfaces of the oral care instrument or included within cavities (50) within the head or in one or more surfaces of a head. In other embodiment, the oral care agent can be provided in or on a thin slab subsequently bonded onto a surface, or applied as a stable coating. The oral care instrument can also be provided with a wear indicator (120). The oral care agents can be released during one use, during multiple uses, or throughout the lite of the instrument. Water, oral secretions and / or chemicals within the mouth can activate the oral care agents.

<img file="MX344589B_D0001.tif" />

PATENT TITLE NO. 344589

Mexican Institute of Industrial Property

<img file="MX344589B_D0002.tif" />

<td>Headlines):</td><td>COLGATE-PALMOLIVE COMPANY</td>

<td>Home:</td><td>300 Park Avenue, New York, NewYork, 10022, USA</td>

<td>Denomination:</td><td>ORAL CARE INSTRUMENT INCLUDING AN ORAL CARE AGENT.</td>

<td>Classification:</td><td>lnt.CI.8: A46B11 / 00</td>

<td>Inventor (s):</td><td>DOUGLAS J. HOHLBEIN; HENG CAI; EDUARDO J. JIMENEZ; VAN CANADY; BRUCE M. RUSSELL; STEVEN M. SORREL; CANDI RANCEL</td>

<td></td><td>REQUEST</td>

<td>...... W IWfWrFw ·</td><td>Intei filing date</td>

<td>MX / a / 2012/004500</td><td>August 24, 2006 Divisional Patent Number: 298330</td>

PRIORITY

Country: Date: Number:

US August 26, 2005 60 / 711,557

Validity: Twenty years

Expiration Date: August 24, 2026

The reference patent was granted based on articles 1, 2, fraction V, 6 “fraction» M, and 68 &lt;feleLey &lt;fabric Industrial property.

In accordance with article 23 of the Industrial Property Law, this patent has a validity of "twenty years without extensions, counted from the filing date of the international application and will be subject to the payment of the fee to keep the .-rights.

Whoever subscribes the present title, does so based on&gt; or provided by article 6^or Fractions III and 7 ° bis 2 of the Industrial Property Law (Tirio Oficfel de la Federación (DOF) 06/27/1901, amended on 02W8 / 1^c94, 25/10/1996, 12/26/1 ^ 07, 05/17/1999, 01/26/2004, 06/16/2005% 01/25/2006, 05/06/2009 / 06/01 / 2010, 06/18/2010, 06/28/2010, 27/0172012 and 04/09/2012); articles t », 3^or fraction V 'subsection a), 4^or and 12th fragments I and III of the Regulations of the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property (DOF 14/12/1999. reformed the

07/07 / 2002,16 / 07/2904, 07/28/200 «and 07/09/2007); articles 1 «, 3 ·, 4 °, s · section V subsection a), 16 sections I and III and 30 of the Organic Statute of the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property (DOF 27/12/1999, amended on 10/10/2002 , 07/29/2004, 08/04/2004 and 09/13/2007); one^or, 3^orand 5 “subsection a) of the Agreement that delegates powers to the Deputy Directors General, Coordinator, Divisional Directors, Head of the Regional Offices, Divisional Deputy Directors, Departmental Coordinators and other subordinates of the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property. (DOF 12/15/1999, amended on 02/04/2000, 07/29/2004, 08/04/2004 and 09/13/2007).

Issue Date: December 20, 2016

<img file="MX344589B_D0003.tif" />

IMPI

MEXICAN INSTITUTE OF INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY

<img file="MX344589B_D0004.tif" />

PA &amp; INSTRUMENT. ORAL CARE · WHICH INCLUDES-υΝΑβΒΠ'Β-ΡΑΚΑ-ΒΒ ORAL CARE

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an oral care instrument with at least one oral care agent that can be delivered into a user's mouth to provide the user with improved oral health. The present invention also pertains to such an oral care instrument including a wear indicator that informs the user when the oral care agent has been discarded.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION r

People exhibit many forms of poor oral health including tooth decay, periodontal disease, and bad breath (halitosis). Dental caries and periodental disease are typically caused by harmful bacteria inside the mouth. When harmful bacteria mix with the proteins in saliva, a film of plaque forms on the teeth and soft tissue. If the plaque is not removed, it can attack the teeth and create cavities. Additionally, the plaque will attack the soft tissue inside the mouth and cause disease of the

Ref: 230177 gums, which is the main cause of tooth loss in adults. As a result, reducing the amount of harmful bacteria in the mouth has been a goal of people working in the field of · oral health care.

IMPI

MEXICAN INSTITUTE OF INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY

<img file="MX344589B_D0005.tif" />

The most common way to minimize damage to

<td>the bacteria</td><td>inside</td><td>of</td><td>the</td><td>mouth</td><td>is</td><td colspan="2">brushing with a</td>

<td>toothpaste that</td><td>delivery</td><td>by</td><td>the</td><td>less</td><td>a</td><td>agent for</td><td>the care</td>

<td colspan="4">oral inside the mouth. The</td><td colspan="2">liquids</td><td>introduced</td><td>orally,</td>

including mouthwashes, they are also used to provide additional oral care beyond that achieved while brushing. Mouth rinses can also be used to deliver breath freshening agents into the mouth in an attempt to eliminate bad breath.

Unfortunately, people do not always have the time to provide adequate oral care. For example, a busy person may not have the time or the patient to brush thoroughly, floss, and / or use an oral rinse. Alternatively, certain people may consider brushing their teeth unnecessary. For whatever reason, these people may have and leave a significant amount of harmful bacteria inside their mouths after completing oral care routines, which can begin to attack teeth and gums.

IMPI

KST1 MEXICAN INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY TUTE

<img file="MX344589B_D0006.tif" />

Additionally, even when all available and recommended jSVüÜLKJLUs · are used, they may not be as effective as if they could be delivered simultaneously. For example, using a toothpaste and an oral rinse at different times can decrease any synergistic effects that may be provided to the user when used simultaneously.

BRIEF SYNTHESIS OF THE INVENTION

One aspect of the present invention relates to an oral care instrument that includes and delivers an oral care agent into a user's mouth. The oral care instrument includes a head that has at least a portion made of a cavity-defining material. At least one oral care agent is provided to a plurality of cavities and is placed within a user's mouth when the oral care agent or agents contact a fluid or chemical within the oral cavity. In another aspect of the present invention, the oral care instrument includes a wear indicator to indicate the amount of oral care agent.

Another aspect of the present invention relates to an oral care device made of a polymer.

IMPI

<img file="MX344589B_D0007.tif" />

MEXICAN INSTITUTE OF PROPERTY that receives at least one agent for care &amp; d '&amp;^w'* brá'F? “fr oral care agent (s) can · · βογ included or on or · on one or more surfaces of the oral care instrument to deliver into the oral cavity. The oral care agent (s) may be contained within the cavities on one or more surfaces of a head. Alternatively, the oral care agent (s) can be formed within or carried by a thin plate subsequently attached over the toothbrush head; or applied over the toothbrush head as a stable coating. Oral care agents can be released during one use, during multiple uses, or throughout the life of the instrument. Water, oral secretions, and / or chemicals inside the mouth can activate oral care agents.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Figure 1 is an isometric view of an oral care instrument in accordance with aspects of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a view of a surface of the instrument of Figure 1;

Figure 3 illustrates a surface of the instrument of Figure 1 taken opposite to Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an enlarged part 4 4 do -í-aIMPI

MEXICAN INSTITUTE

OF INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY

<img file="MX344589B_D0008.tif" />

instrument surface of Figures 1-3;

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a cavity shown in Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a cross section of a cavity incorporation shown in Figure 4;

Figure 7 is a partial cross section of the instrument of Figure 2;

Figure 8 is a partial cross section of an instrument according to an alternate embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 9 illustrates an embodiment of the instrument of Figure 2; and Figure 10 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of an instrument according to the present invention.

IMPI

INSTO UTO MEXICANA. OF THE f »VORlfcÜAJ&gt;

INDUSTRIAL

<img file="MX344589B_D0009.tif" />

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Fig. 1 illustrates an embodiment of an oral care instrument 1 having an elongated handle 10 and a head 20 intended to be inserted into the mouth or oral cavity of a user. The oral care instrument 1 is not limited to toothbrushes as demonstrated and described, but can have any shape or structure and perform any function that enables it to deliver oral care agents to the user, with the Non-limiting examples of other oral care instruments including tongue cleaners, portable toothbrush, toothpick combinations. Instrument 1 can be used once and then discarded, or it can be used repeatedly over a period of time. The elongated handle 10 can be formed in many different ways and with a variety of constructions that allow the oral care instrument 1 to be grasped and manipulated within the user's mouth.

Head 20 includes multiple surfaces that are exposed to fluids within the mouth during use. In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1-3, head 20 includes a first surface 22 on a first side 23 and a second surface 24 on a second side

IMPI

<img file="MX344589B_D0010.tif" />

INSTITUTO MKXICANC Opposite 25. The side walls 26 span EMriffentr ^ S ^ S ^ surfaces 22 and 24. Oral care elements 30 may extend from either or both surfaces 22 and 24 of head 20, elements 30 of which may include teeth cleaning elements 35, such as elongated bristles or elastomeric fingers, or teeth elements. soft tissue cleaning such as tongue cleaning members (not shown) extending from any surface 22 and 24. A third example includes a head 20 having tooth cleaning elements 25 extending from first surface 22 and tongue cleaning elements (not shown) extending from second surface 24.

The oral care items 30 described herein are not limited to those discussed above. Instead, the term oral care element is generic and is intended to include all types of elements that can be used within a mouth including different teeth and soft tissue cleaning members that are not mentioned above, limbs for gum massage and other forms of limbs for cleaning or oral massage.

Regardless of the number or position of the oral care elements 30 provided on the head 20, the head 20 also includes at least one oral care person to insert it into the mouth to perform an intended function.

In a

IMPI

MEXICAN INSTITUTE OF REOPIEOaD. INDUSTRIAL, mcorpor ac ion,

<img file="MX344589B_D0011.tif" />

Oral care agent (s) may be pro ^ ol'ülUHadow in cavities 50 (see Figure 4) formed or present in the head 20. Oral care agent (s) may also be included in or on a limb spaced 100 placed on one or more of the surfaces 22, 24 or 26 of the head 20 (see figure 2). This member 100 may be provided in place of or in addition to cavities 50 within head 20.

The head 20 is generally formed of a material having a plurality of externally opposed cavities 50 that are open to their respective outer surface 22, 24 and 26. The complete head 20 can be formed of this material or the material can be applied to a inner core (not shown). The material used to form the head 20 can include any one of a wide variety of commercially available polymers, such as the thermoplastic polymer. for example. In one embodiment, the oral care instrument 1 is formed of a polypropylene, so that with manufacture it is formed with cavities that extend internally. Different thermoplastic polymers or polymers having different molecular weights typically have different melting and solidification characteristics. Therefore, it is within the scope of the skilled artisan to select a suitable polymer for a given application. The oral care instrument 1 can

IMPI

MEXICAN INSTITUTE) OF INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY% S

<img file="MX344589B_D0012.tif" />

be formed of polypropylene materials such as those available from MA Industries. In one embodiment, the dabézar 20 formed from a polypropylene material is manufactured using a sintering process. Head 20 can be formed at the same time as the remaining parts of the oral care instrument 1 as a single continuous member. Alternatively, the head 20 can be manufactured as one. component that is assembled as part of the instrument 1. Head 20 can be clamped through a number of techniques including ultrasonic welding, heat bonding, laser, etc., or through mechanical methods that also allow head 20 to be removed and discarded.

As used herein, the term cavity is intended to refer to an opening in the head 20 either present in the head material itself or intentionally formed therein, which preferably does not extend entirely through the head. As used herein, the term "exposed surface" refers to a surface that defines the shape of head 20 and which generally defines the boundary between head 20 and its environment. Externally exposed cavities 50 are capable of receiving and retaining one or more of the disposable oral care agents. Cavities 50 can receive these agents in a powder form, a liquid form, or both. In one embodiment, cavities 50 will receive and retain oral care agent (s) until a predetermined amount has been received or the cavity has been filled. The size and shape of these cavities 50 can be varied so that they can include larger amounts of an oral care agent or an oral care agent with different or larger shaped molecules.

ΙΜΡΙ ~

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MEX1CANC INSTITUTE OF THE INDUSTRIAL MONEDAD

<img file="MX344589B_D0013.tif" />

It is understood that a variety of material specifications (such as polymer size, polymer size, granule size distribution, the type of oral care agent used, the particle size distribution of oral care agent and the ratio of porous polymer to oral care agent) and also a wide variety of manufacturing / processing parameters (such as temperature and pressure) that can be used to provide a Instrument 1 having various advantageous characteristics including cavity dimension, shape and spacing. For example, the oral care instrument 1 may have cavities 50 that deliver the oral care agent (s) within a user's mouth to different cups. These cups can be controlled for example by the size of the exposed surface area of ​​the respective cavity 50 and the oral care agent contained in the outer surface 22, 24, 26 of the head, the shape of the cavities 50, the profanity of the cavities 50 and / or the characteristics of the oral care agent or agents contained.

Adjacent cavities 50 may have different sizes to accommodate different amounts of agents

IMPI

MtXjCAN INSTITUTE

M 1.Á MtOMEDAO

INDUSTRIAL

<img file="MX344589B_D0014.tif" />

for oral care or oral agents mentioned different molecular. As a result, the oral care instrument 1 can have different oral care agent release characteristics that control when and how much of the oral care agent is delivered into the oral cavity. For example, in an embodiment in which it is desired that the oral care agent (s) be released relatively quickly from the oral care instrument 1, a larger thermoplastic granule size for head 20 may be selected. preferably and, where it is desired that the oral care agent (s) be dispensed more slowly, a smaller thermoplastic granule size may preferably be selected. Adjacent cavities 50 within the outer surfaces of head 20 may carry the same or different oral care agents. Similarly, the same gap 50 can carry different oral care agents (A, B), either layered on top of each other (Figure 5) for controlled release or adjacent to each other (Figure 6) so that these they will react simultaneously when they come in contact with an activator.

Active oral care agents can function as, for example, abrasives, mouth fresheners, teeth whiteners, vitamins, antibacterial / anti-microbial agents, plaque dispersants, de-sensitizing agents for mouth and teeth, agents against cavity and / or combinations i vi rxr, INSTITUTOJMEXLCAhÍ K dé DéiS &amp; osDMact INDUSTRIAL functional to provide individual or combined synergistic benefits. Oral care agents also include flavorings, decorations, nutritional and body supplements such as calcium. Calcium can, for example, be provided in single-use doses of 1 milligram. The flavors can be released to indicate that the oral care item 1 is working properly or to indicate that the instrument 1 is ejected and ready to be discarded or recharged. Also, oral care agents can remove particular enzymes from within the user's mouth. Decorations applied by oral care agents can temporarily add color, gloss, sparkles and / or hints to the user's teeth.

Furthermore, lack of fluid within the mouth can trigger an oral care agent such as a salivary gland stimulant, provided within cavities 50. The quantity and delivery rate for these agents will depend on the amount needed and the agent being applied.

During the production of the oral care instrument 1, the oral care agents can be delivered to the cavities in a solid and / or liquid compound. In one embodiment, the instrument material for the

<img file="MX344589B_D0015.tif" />

4the

DE rauribUAi oral care 1 is immersed in a desired liquid^l,to&amp;'^Lmore than the agent or agents for the liquid can flow and remain within the cavities 50. Upon drying, the oral care agent 20 is secured within the cavities 50. It is also possible to impregnate the cavities 50 on the side of the Head 20 with the desired oral care agent (s) during production. It is also understood that the worn out oral care instrument for example 1 in which the oral care agent or agents have been used up, can be advantageously recharged by an oral care agent by immersing it again in the liquid carrying the desired oral care agent (s). Cavities 50 can be filled (refilled) on a regular basis including daily for instruments that provide single doses of at least one oral care agent.

Once the cavities 50 receive the attempted oral care agent or agents, the head 20 can be advantageously used to disperse or release the oral care agent or agents into the mouth. The oral care agent (s) typically leak from their respective cavities 50 when they come into contact with fluids and / or chemicals within the mouth. In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, active oral care agents that have been impregnated in the head material, for example, can be released into the mouth while

MEXICAN INSTITUTE

DÉ LA FROflEDAD brush your teeth. During the brushing process oS-diOS teeth, water and chemicals present, my boa's will contact the oral care agent (s) within cavities 50 in head 20. This will create a reaction in which the impregnated oral care agent (s) will leak out of the cavities 50 into the head 20. Additionally, the use of different oral care agents in cavities 50 of the same head 20 have the ability to provide synergistic benefit to the user. This can be especially useful when there are two beneficial oral care agents, which ideal circumstances should be kept separate from each other until the desired time of use. In this way, the oral care instrument 1 can deliver multiple benefits to the user at once.

The oral care instrument 1 is also capable of delivering the benefits of a toothpaste by impregnating the head material with the chemicals and abrasives found in toothpaste, for example. In such an embodiment, it will be possible to deliver some of the chemical and mechanical benefits of toothpaste only through the use of the toothbrush without the toothpaste being applied to the cleaning elements of the toothbrush. At least one of the assorted oral care agents can also function as a catalyst or enhancer for toothpaste or other agents introduced into the mouth.

IMPI

MLX1CANC INSTITUTE ^ - '^s'*' ®Yes * j9 □ t PROPERTY C&gt; «¿3S—. ,. INDUSTRIAL

Also, with this oral care instrument 1, it may be possible to deliver the benefits of a qalfllie'Btal ..... Chlorhexidine COms, for example, in a more effective way.

The delivery member 100 discussed above can provide or include the oral care agents discussed above and also function as an indicator of wear. This member 100 can be located at any position above the head 20 and can provide a notice to the user when the oral care agent is exhausted. In a non-limiting illustrative embodiment, delivery member 100 is shown as a strip 102 on second surface 24. The delivery member 100 may have any shape and be located on or on any surface or surfaces of the instrument 1 that can be observed by the user. In addition to identifying when the instrument 1 needs to be discarded or recharged, the delivery member 100 can also include and deliver at least one of the above-described oral care agents within the oral cavity.

In one embodiment, delivery member 100 is removable and one or more replacement strips 102 may be applied in place, in series, or in parallel to perform the same functions as delivery member 100. These replacement strips 102 They can be applied after each use of the instrument 1 or after repeated uses. Single or multiple strips can also be applied to a surface

IMPI

MEXICAN INSTITUTE OF INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY head to deliver multiple individual benefits or

<img file="MX344589B_D0016.tif" />

benefits arising from the combined presence of assets of multiple different strips.

Such strips can be sold separately and applied by a user as desired. For the convenience of the user, the replacement strips 102 can be carried inside a recess or compartment in the handle 10 of the instrument 1.

Replacement / enhancement strips 102 that perform different functions within the mouth can also be provided. For example, replacement / enhancement strips 102 can be designed to refresh the breath, activate the salivary glands and / or desensitize teeth, etc. In such incorporations, these different function strips 102 can be applied to instrument 1 instead of or in addition to strips 102 that are regularly used on head 20 to kill harmful bacteria inside the mouth, for example.

As illustrated in the incorporation of Figure 7, the delivery member 100 (and replacement strips 102, see Figure 2) includes a first layer 110 preferably of a water-insoluble material, such as a resin that can retain the oral care agent or agents that are delivered into the mouth. The water insoluble material maintains the structure of the delivery member 100 as the oral care agent leaks out and is delivered to the

IMPI

MEXICAN INSTITUTE

<img file="MX344589B_D0017.tif" />

oral cavity of the user. Layer 110 of including a portion of head 20 or a layer of material designed to incorporate the desired criteria of release rates and dosages that are insurable to the head. The delivery member 100 can be secured on or within at least one surface of the head 20. For example, the delivery member 100 can be secured within a slot 118 (Figure 8) which extends along or around of the head 20. Such groove 118 may be from about 1 to about 2 millimeters deep, relative to the outer surfaces of head 20.

A second layer 114 is placed on top of the first layer 110. This layer can be made of any material or materials that can be chemically and / or mechanically altered. Chemical and / or mechanical alteration can be achieved for example by chemical reactions initiated by the components of saliva or water, including dissolution or conversion of enzymes and / abrasion of the layer against the surfaces of the oral cavity . This layer 114 can erode due to abrasion during use of instrument 1 or it can be formed of a water soluble material. In one embodiment, the outer layer 114 includes a water soluble polymer (preferably polyethylene epoxide, polyethylene glycol, or a polyvinyl alcohol for example). However, any known non-toxic polymer, copolymer, or combinations

<img file="MX344589B_D0018.tif" />

<img file="MX344589B_D0019.tif" />

themselves providing

<img file="MX344589B_D0020.tif" />

ΙΜΡΠ

INSTITUTO MEXICANO S controlled water for the layer can be used? ' of the polymer used in the outer shell__LLl ~~ d £ feg _. „ser; low enough that it dissolves slowly over a period of many uses. Second layer 114 can also include one or more oral care agents such as an anti-microbial agent. The anti-microbial agent can be any of those discussed above, such as chlorhexidine.

Non-limiting examples of antimicrobial agents that can be used in place of chlorhexidine digluconate include antibiotics such as actinobolin, chlorotetracycline, tetracycline, streptomycin, kanamycin, penicillin, rancemycin, gramicidine, saramycin, and polymyxin.

B;

as well as antiplaque enzymes such as mucinases, pancreatin, fungal enzymes, protease amylase, dextranase, moinase, zendium, amyloglucosidase, and glucose oxidase.

Other conventional antimicrobials that can be used include phenolic compounds (eg, phenol, thymol,

2-phenylphenol, hexylresorcinol), and listerine (thymol, eucalyptol, menthol methylsalicylate);

bi-pyridines (eg octenidene);

pyrimidines (eg hexetidine); halogens (eg iodine, iodophors, fluorides); quaternary ammonium salts (eg cetyl pyridinium chloride, benzethonium chloride, bromide dominate);

oxygenating agents (eg peroxides;

perborate); herbal extracts (eg sangnimarin);

IMPIOUS⁵

MEXICAN INSTITUTE £ ·. ' silver, heavy metal salts (eg copper, tin); and other bis-biguanidines in addition to chlorhexidine (eg alexidine). Of course, other chlorhexidine salts such as diacetate and dihydrochloride can be used in place of chlorohexidine digluconate.

The two layers 110 and 114 can be produced either by conventional joint extrusion or joint injection molding techniques from two different mixers. Alternatively, one layer can be extruded and then the other layer can be thermoformed or compression molded or laminated onto the extruded layer. Other manufacturing methods are also contemplated.

As the delivery member 100 comes into contact with water, saliva, or a chemical in the mouth, the outer layer 114 dissolves and the oral care agent (s) seep out of the area exposed by the dissolved outer layer 114. By dissolving the outer layer 114 out with repeated use, this not only exposes the oral care agent held in the resin, for example, but also exposes the cues 120 that indicate to the user of instrument 1, including when the agent or Oral care agents within the instrument are depleted and require replacement or discharge (Figure 9). The Clues 120

IMPI can be a visible color that attracts attention ^ iS ^ uriisúait ^^ 'layer 110 and illustrates the effective amount of life Hal_— instrument 1. Alternatively, cues 120 can be a message telling the user when the instrument stops 5 oral care 1 is exhausted (figure 9). Other ways of communication are also contemplated.

In an alternate embodiment, a hydrogel is applied to at least one surface of instrument 1 and / or forms at least one layer of delivery member 100. In this embodiment, the hydrogel releases oral care agents and / or absorbs other agents, bacteria and / or chemicals inside the mouth and on the instrument 1.

In an alternate embodiment illustrated in FIG. 10, instrument 1 may include any number of containers or capsules 200 secured to a surface of head 20 or included within head 20. Each capsule 200 20 may be formed of a biocompatible material and comprise at least one oral care agent such as liquid and / or powder oral care agents. In certain incorporations, the agents provided in the capsules should not be mixed until they are inside the mouth. These 25 capsules 200 can explode under pressure or dissolve and release the oral care agent (s) into the oral cavity.

<img file="MX344589B_D0021.tif" />

IMPI

In another embodiment, a .wa * oe -— or capsule reagent 250 having two or more chambers 252 and 254 is secured to an instrument surface 1. In this embodiment, a membrane 255 extends between chambers 252 and 254. With the In time, membrane 255 will dissolve or break. This membrane failure may be time dependent and / or result from the use of instrument 1 inside the mouth. When membrane 255 dissolves, breaks, or otherwise wears from an interior wall of capsule 250, the materials in chambers 252 and 254 contact one another and cause a noticeable change indicating that the care agent oral in instrument 1 may be out of stock.

As described above, a wide variety of molding techniques can be used in accordance with the oral care instrument, and a wide variety of parameters and material specifications can be used to provide instruments having a variety of desired characteristics. Even though the shapes of various articles of the invention are described above, it is readily understood that a wide variety of alternate shapes and sizes are contemplated by the invention. Preferably, shapes and sizes are selected such that fluid contact with the porous part of the oral care instrument is optimized. Furthermore, those skilled in the art will appreciate that there are many variations and permutations of the systems described above and / or techniques.

I know

IMPI

INÍH'íUTO -míXkuno. , OtLAMOMEMO understands that "incorporations can be used and structural and functional ficaoipi ^ ep can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

IMPI 6¾¾

Mexican INSTITUTE and ./

PE LA RROHEUAD \ '-a—

INDUSTRIAL -cujir — 23