Sustained-release matrices for dental application

• US 5,851,551 A
• Filed: 06/21/1994
• Issued: 12/22/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gillette Company (The Procter & Gamble Company)
• Original Assignee: Gillette Company (The Procter & Gamble Company)
• Inventors: Philbrook, Carl M., Tseng, Mingchih M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rose, Shep K.
• Application Number:
  US08/262,961
• Time in Patent Office: 1,645 Days
• Field of Search: 424/435, 424/486, 424/487, 15/160, 15/167.1
• US Class Current: 424/486
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 11/00 Brushes with reservoir or other means for applying substances, e.g. paints, pastes, water driven brush bodies A46B13/00; massage apparatus with liquid delivery A61H7/002, A61H2201/105; applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces by liquid carrying members in general, e.g. by pads B05C1/00, B05D1/28
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/001 with means indicating the remaining useful life of brush
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 2800/43 Pigments; Dyes
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/43 Guanidines
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/8135 Compositions of homopolymers or copolymers of compounds having one or more unsaturated aliphatic radicals, each having only one carbon-to-carbon double bond, and at least one being terminated by an acyloxy radical of a saturated carboxylic acid, of carbonic acid or of a haloformic acid; Compositions of derivatives of such polymers, e.g. vinyl esters (polyvinylacetate)
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/86 Polyethers
• CPC Class Codes: A61Q 11/00 Preparations for care of the teeth, of the oral cavity or of dentures; Dentifrices, e.g. toothpastes; Mouth rinses

Abstract

A sustained-release matrix for dental application includes either an anti-microbial agent or a colorant that is released from the matrix when the matrix contacts water. The preferred matrices include a water-soluble polymer and a water-insoluble support resin.

Claims

1. A method of releasing an anti-microbial agent into a mouth of an animal, comprising

providing a matrix including between 50% and 90% by weight of a water-insoluble resin comprising ethylene vinyl acetate, between 5% and 40% by weight polyethylene oxide, and an anti-microbial agent;

inserting said matrix into a mouth of an animal; and

causing said water-soluble polymer to dissolve out of said matrix, releasing said anti-microbial agent into the mouth.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said water-soluble substance comprises polyethylene oxide.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said anti-microbial agent comprises chlorhexidine.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said matrix comprises between 50 percent and 90 percent by weight ethylene vinyl acetate;

between 5 percent and 40 percent by weight polyethylene oxide; and

between 1 percent and 30 percent by weight anti-microbial agent.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said matrix comprises

a. a first layer including a water-soluble polymer and an anti-microbial agent, and

b. a second layer joined with said first layer and comprising a water-insoluble resin.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said matrix comprises between 50 percent and 90 percent by weight ethylene vinyl acetate;

between 5 percent and 30 percent by weight polyethylene oxide; and

between 3 percent and 30 percent by weight anti-microbial agent.