Dental hygienic device

• US 4,526,570 A
• Filed: 10/25/1982
• Issued: 07/02/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/1982
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Shiken Corporation
• Original Assignee: Shiken Corporation
• Inventors: Nakagawa, Yoshinori, Matsuda, Shoji, Yoneda, Tsutomu
• Primary Examiner(s): Rosenbaum, C. Fred
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lester, Michelle N.
• Application Number:
  US06/436,436
• Time in Patent Office: 981 Days
• Field of Search: 604/20, 128/393, 128/67, 136/291
• US Class Current: 604/20
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0002 Arrangements for enhancing monitoring or controlling the brushing process
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0022 with an electrical means
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0036 with a lighting means, e.g. laser, bulb A46B15/0034 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 2200/1066 Toothbrush for cleaning the teeth or dentures A61C17/16 takes precedence; bristles arrangements for toothbrushes A46B9/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0606 Mouth

Abstract

A dental hygienic device comprising an n-type semiconductor disposed on or in a main body consisting of an inserting portion and a handle. At least one portion of the semiconductor is exposed while at least the other portion being located at the inserting portion of said main body. The semiconductor, when irradiated with a natural and/or man-made light, is activated to produce therein a number of holes whereas teeth becomes reverse-phased due to an electron density higher than that in the semiconductor to thereby give rise to a reduction which decompose tartars and colored scales on the teeth.

Claims

1. A dental hygienic device for the hygienic treatment of teeth in an oral cavity, said device comprising a main body having an insertion portion adapted to be brought into an operative position relative to water and/or saliva in the oral cavity, and semiconductor means consisting essentially of an n-type semiconductor material having a photoelectric effect, said semiconductor means including at least one portion disposed relative to said insertion portion so as to be simultaneously exposable to light and operatively communicable with the water and/or saliva of the oral cavity, said semiconductor means, in response to irradiation by light, for establishing at said one portion an electron density differential between said teeth and said semiconductor means to cause a reduction to occur at said teeth to thereby hygienically treat said teeth.

2. A device set forth in claim 1 wherein said semiconductor means includes an n-type semiconductor member exposed to light on said main body and and conductive wire means extending from said semiconductor member to the insertion portion.

3. A device as set forth in claim 1 further comprising brush means upstanding from the insertion portion for brushing the teeth.

4. A device as set forth in claim 3 wherein the semiconductor member is titanium dioxide manufactured by intensely heating elemental titanium at 1200°

to 1500°

C. in an incandescent state for 2 to 5 minutes.

5. A device as set forth in claim 1 further comprising light-irradiating means for irradiating the semiconductor means with a man-made light.

6. A device as set forth in claim 5 wherein said light-irradiating means includes lamp means to provide a source of light, lens means for focussing the light projected from the lamp means and glass fiber means operatively connecting said semiconductor means and said light-irradiating means for conducting the light provided by said lamp means and focused by said lens means to the semiconductor means.

7. A device as in claim 1 wherein said insertion portion includes means defining a groove to retain water and/or saliva therein, said groove for exposing said one portion of said semiconductor means to said water and/or saliva.

8. A device as in claim 1 wherein said main body includes means defining an opposing pair of grooves, said semiconductor means being disposed intermediate said pair of grooves so as to be exposable to light thereby.

9. A device as in claim 1 wherein said semiconductor material is in the form of a closed loop, at least one surface of said loop being disposed at an exterior region of said main body so as to be exposable to light.

10. A device as in claim 9 wherein said loop includes upper and lower surfaces each disposed at an exterior region of said main body so as to be exposable to light.