Dental cleaning apparatus

3,261,978

July 19, 1966

H. S. BRENMAN

DENTAL CLEANING APPARATUS

Filed May 27, 1963

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United States Patent Office

3,261,978

Patented July 19, 1966

3,261,978

DENTAL CLEANING APPARATUS Henry S. Brenman, Medical Tower Bldg., Philadelphia 3, Pa.

Filed May 27,1963, Ser. No. 283,154

Claims. (Cl. 250—86)

FIGURE 6 is a cross sectional view of the toothbrush of FIGURE 5 taken along lines 6—6.

FIGURE 7 is a diagrammatic showing of the toothbrush of FIGURE 1 utilized to check the teeth of an in5 dividual.

In FIGURE 1, there is shown a toothbrush 10 having a handle 12 with a switch 14 mounted thereon. The handle 12 is adapted to have batteries 16 (not shown) therein which are connected in series circuit relation 10 with the switch 14.

The toothbrush 10 also includes a toothbrush head 18 axially in line with the handle 12. The toothbrush head 18 has bristles 20 secured to the bottom face 22 therefor. The top face 24 of the toothbrush head 15 18 is a monochromatic light filter capable of transmitting only radiation having a wave length of 3650 angstrom units.

Within the toothbrush head 18, there is placed a series of light bulbs 26 connected in parallel circuit relation 20 through wires 28 to the batteries 16 and switch 14. When it is desired to utilize the toothbrush 10, the individual brushes his teeth with the bristles 20 and toothpaste having the dyes mentioned previously. As stated, the dyes may be fluorescin or erythrosine.

²⁵ In FIGURE 7, there is shown a diagrammatic sketch of the teeth T of an individual utilizing the toothbrush 10 of the present invention. As shown, one tooth Tl was not cleaned properly and, therefore, has a film thereon which contains the invisible dye present in the tooth³⁰ paste. By pressing switch 14, radiation having a wave length of 3650 angstrom units is transmitted through the filter 24 so as to cause the tooth Tl to fluoresce. By rebrushing with the bristles 20 of the toothbrush 10 until the fluorescent material is removed, one is able to as³⁵ sure himself that a complete cleaning of his teeth has been accomplished.

In FIGURE 5, there is shown a second embodiment of the present invention in which a toothbrush 30 has ₄θ been provided which is capable of performing the functions of the toothbrush 10 described above.

The toothbrush 30 consists of a handle 32 in which is placed an incandescent lamp 34 to be energized by a suitable source of electrical energy. This source could be batteries within the handle or a means for connecting 4.5 the lamp 34 to household alternating current. Where the toothbrush 30 was mounted in a vibrating electric toothbrush, the source of electrical energy used for achieving the vibration could be utilized for energizing the lamp 34.

Connected to the handle 32 is the head 36 of the toothbrush. The head 36 is manufactured of a Incite main body 38 to which the bristles 40 are secured. The lucite body 38 has a polished portion 42 immediately adjacent the point wherein the bristles are connected to the main body. However, the remaining surface area of the lucite handle 38 is roughened so as to prevent light transmission therethrough. The polished portion 42 has a suitable filter 46 placed thereover which allows only radiation having a wave length of 3650 angstrom units to pass θθ therethrough. The filter 46 may be in the form of a coating on the polished surface 42. It will easily be understood that the monochromatic filter 46 and the filter 24 could be changed for monochromatic filters of other wave lengths were different fluorescent materials utilized in the tooth paste which responded to radiation of a different wave length.

As can be seen from the two embodiments, the light may be transmitted from either the top surface of the toothbrush head or the bottom surface thereof within the scope of the present invention.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essenIn general, this invention relates to new and improved dental cleaning apparatus and, more particularly, to a toothbrush which may be utilized in combination with special tooth cleansers to enable a person to better clean his teeth.

In the past, one normally cleaned his teeth by brushing them with toothpaste and a toothbrush. However, thin films of decay-causing material were often left on the teeth after brushing because the individual could not see them. Thus, he was prevented from doing the best possible cleaning of his teeth.

Therefore, it is the general object of this invention to avoid and overcome the foregoing and other difficulties of prior art practices by the provision of new and improved dental cleaning apparatus.

A further object is to provide a toothbrush which can be utilized with special toothpaste so that invisible decay-forming films can be detected and removed from the teeth.

Another object is to provide better dental cleaning apparatus which is both simple to utilize and safe for all purposes.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there are shown in the drawings forms which are presently preferred; it being understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.

In accordance wtih the teachings of the present invention, a toothpaste or other tooth cleanser is provided which incorporates an invisible dye in a nontoxic amount. This dye can be any one of various fluorescent dyes which have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. For example, fluorescin and erythrosine are two dyes which have been so approved. Both of these dyes would fluoresce when excited by radiation having a wave length of 3650 angstrom units.

It is intended to provide a toothbrush which has combined therewith in the head thereof a source of light which emits radiation having a wave length of 3650 angstrom units. Thus, one need merely brush one’s teeth with the toothpaste having the dyes mentioned previously. After a first brushing, it is only necessary to turn on the light in the toothbrush head and examine one’s teeth in the mirror. The dye would permeate any film on the teeth of the individual so that any teeth which had not been completely cleaned would fluoresce. Then, it would only be necessary to brush those teeth which showed signs of fluorescing so as to complete the cleaning operation. A later check could be made by returning the lighted toothbrush to the teeth and reexamining them for fluorescent materials.

In FIGURE 1, there is shown a top plan view of a toothbrush built in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a cross sectional view of the toothbrush of FIGURE 1 taken along lines 2—2.

FIGURE 3 is a cross sectional view of the toothbrush of FIGURE 2 taken along lines 3—3.

FIGURE 4 is a bottom plan view of a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIGURE 5 is a cross sectional view of the toothbrush head shown in FIGURE 4 taken along lines 5—5.

3,261,978 tial attributes thereof and, accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims, rather than to the foregoing specification as indicating the scope of the invention.