Methods for whitening teeth

• US 7,122,199 B2
• Filed: 04/06/2005
• Issued: 10/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: Dirksing, Robert Stanley, Rohman, Frederick James, Glaser, Lisa Rae, Sagel, Paul Albert
• Primary Examiner(s): GITOMER, RALPH J
• Application Number:
  US11/099,738
• Publication Number:
  US 20050196352A1
• Time in Patent Office: 559 Days
• Field of Search: 424/401, 424/49, 424/53
• US Class Current: 424/401
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 19/063 Medicament applicators for teeth or gums, e.g. treatment with fluorides
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 19/066 Bleaching devices; Whitening agent applicators for teeth, e.g. trays or strips
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 6/30 Compositions for temporarily or permanently fixing teeth or palates, e.g. primers for dental adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/0208 Tissues; Wipes; Patches
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/20 Halogens; Compounds thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/22 Peroxides; Oxygen; Ozone
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/42 Amides
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/731 Cellulose; Quaternized cellulose derivatives
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/8147 Homopolymers or copolymers of acids; Metal or ammonium salts thereof, e.g. crotonic acid, (meth)acrylic acid; Compositions of derivatives of such polymers
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 1/08 Cellulose derivatives
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 23/06 Polyethene
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 23/0853 Vinylacetate
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 33/08 Homopolymers or copolymers of acrylic acid esters
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 39/06 Homopolymers or copolymers of N-vinyl-pyrrolidones
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 67/02 Polyesters derived from dicarboxylic acids and dihydroxy compounds C08L67/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 71/02 Polyalkylene oxides

Abstract

A method of bleaching a plurality of adjacent teeth is disclosed. The teeth having facial and lingual surfaces. The method includes applying a tooth bleaching delivery system to a plurality of adjacent teeth, wherein the tooth bleaching delivery system includes a strip of material and a tooth bleaching composition having a peroxide active.

Claims

1. A method of bleaching a plurality of adjacent teeth, the teeth having facial and lingual surfaces, comprising:

applying a tooth bleaching delivery system to a plurality of adjacent teeth, wherein the tooth bleaching delivery system comprises a strip of material and a tooth bleaching composition having a peroxide active and wherein the strip of material comprises a plurality of layers and one of the layers is a non-woven material, wherein applying the tooth bleaching system comprises;

a) applying a first portion of the strip of material and tooth bleaching composition to the facial surfaces of the plurality of adjacent teeth so that the tooth bleaching composition contacts the facial surfaces of the plurality of adjacent teeth;

b) folding a second portion of the strip of material and tooth bleaching composition about the incisal edges of the plurality of adjacent teeth;

c) applying the second portion of the strip and tooth bleaching composition to at least a portion of the lingual surfaces of one or more of the plurality of adjacent teeth, wherein the tooth bleaching composition is adhesive during use and wherein the tooth bleaching delivery system is applied to the facial and lingual surfaces of the plurality of adjacent teeth for a sufficient period of time for the peroxide active to act upon the facial surfaces of the plurality of adjacent teeth; and

wherein the tooth bleaching delivery system is applied for a period of time between about 5 minutes and about 120 minutes.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said peroxide is carbamide peroxide.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the tooth bleaching composition further comprises glycerin, carboxypolymethylene, triethanolamine, and a flavoring agent.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said tooth whitening delivery system is applied for a period of time between about 30 minutes and about 60 minutes.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising repeating 1(a) to 1(c) once a day for about 7 to about 28 days.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said strip of material has two sides that are arched.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said strip of material has two sides that are stair stepped, and wherein said stairstepped sides fold about the incisal edge of the plurality of adjacent teeth.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the tooth bleaching composition comprises a mixture of polymers.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said mixture of polymers comprises polyvinylpyrrolidone.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said tooth bleaching mixture further comprises polyethylene glycol.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said tooth bleaching mixture further comprises water and wherein said peroxide is hydrogen peroxide.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said tooth bleaching composition comprises a poloxamer.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said tooth bleaching delivery system is applied to the teeth once per day.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein a fresh strip of material is used for each application of said tooth bleaching substance to said surfaces of said teeth.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein said strip of material is removed from the surfaces of said teeth by peeling off said strip of material.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising repeating 1(a) to 1(c) until a whitening benefit of a 1–

4 shade guide improvement is achieved.

17. A method of bleaching a plurality of adjacent teeth, the teeth having facial and lingual surfaces, comprising:

applying a tooth bleaching delivery system to a plurality of adjacent teeth, wherein the tooth bleaching delivery system comprises a strip of material and a tooth bleaching composition having a peroxide active, wherein applying the tooth bleaching system comprises;

a) applying a first portion of the strip of material and tooth bleaching composition to the facial surfaces of the plurality of adjacent teeth so that the tooth bleaching composition contacts the facial surfaces of the plurality of adjacent teeth;

b) folding a second portion of the strip of material and tooth bleaching composition about the incisal edges of the plurality of adjacent teeth;

c) applying the second portion of the strip and tooth bleaching composition to at least a portion of the lingual surfaces of one or more of the plurality of adjacent teeth, wherein the tooth bleaching composition is adhesive during use and wherein the tooth bleaching delivery system is applied to the facial and lingual surfaces of the plurality of adjacent teeth for a sufficient period of time for the peroxide active to act upon the facial surfaces of the plurality of adjacent teeth; and

wherein 12(a) to 12(c) are repeated for about 7 days.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said peroxide is carbamide peroxide.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the tooth bleaching composition further comprises glycerin, carboxypolymethylene, triethanolamine, and a flavoring agent.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein said tooth whitening delivery system is applied for a period of time between about 5 minutes and about 120 minutes.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein said strip of material has two sides that are arched.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein said strip of material has two sides that are stair-stepped, and wherein said stairstepped sides fold about the incisal edge of the plurality of adjacent teeth.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein the tooth bleaching composition comprises a mixture of polymers.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein said mixture of polymers comprises polyvinylpyrrolidone.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein said tooth bleaching mixture further comprises polyethylene glycol.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein said tooth bleaching mixture further comprises water and wherein said peroxide is hydrogen peroxide.

27. The method of claim 17, wherein said tooth bleaching composition comprises a poloxamer.

28. The method of claim 17, wherein said tooth bleaching delivery system is applied to the teeth once per day.

29. The method of claim 17, wherein a fresh strip of material is used for each application of said tooth bleaching substance to said surfaces of said teeth.

30. The method of claim 17, wherein said strip of material is removed from the surfaces of said teeth by peeling off said strip of material.

31. The method of claim 17, further comprising repeating 12(a) to 12(c) until a whitening benefit of a 1–

4 shade guide improvement is achieved.