JP2006167435A - Toothbrush - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a toothbrush having a cleaning effect and touch of the whole brush effectively improved by relating inclinedly planted tufts with the other tufts effectively. <P>SOLUTION: On this toothbrush 10, tufts 15a, 15b and 15c each made by bundling bristles 14 are planted on a planting base 11 in a plurality of rows continuously in the longitudinal direction X of the planting base 11. The tufts 15b having a bundle diameter smaller than that of the tufts 15a on the outermost row and a fiber length longer than that of the tuft 15a on the outermost row are provided as a row of the longest tufts to the inside adjacent to the outermost row. The tufts 15a on the outermost row are planted inclinedly toward the top end side in the longitudinal direction X of the planting base 11. The tufts 15c on the central row are installed between the the rows of the longest tufts 15b. A front end side assisting tuft group 16 and a rear end side assisting tuft group 17O are provided on the front end section and the rear end section of the planting base 11. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a toothbrush, and more particularly to a toothbrush in which tufts formed by bundling bristles are arranged in a row in a longitudinal direction of a flocking table and are implanted in a plurality of rows of flocking tables.

  A toothbrush is a tuft made by bundling a plurality of bristles, for example, by implanting and fixing a flat wire into a plurality of flock holes provided in a flocking table or by fusing with heat, etc. It is obtained by forming a brush part. In addition, the toothbrush can efficiently perform appropriate brushing according to the tooth part such as the tooth surface part, interdental part, and tooth neck part, and the tooth type such as the front tooth and the back tooth. In order to improve the feeling, various ideas have been made on the arrangement of tufts, the overall shape of the brush portion, and the like.

For example, in Patent Document 1, tufts formed by bundling bristles are connected in the longitudinal direction of a flocking table and are planted on a plurality of rows of flocking tables, and the tufts of the tufts in the center row are thinned to increase the hair length. A toothbrush having a bristle length that gradually decreases toward the outer row is disclosed, and a tuft having a thin bundle diameter and a high bristle length planted in the center, and a thick bundle diameter and a bristle length implanted on the outside. By supporting with a low tuft, it became possible to clean well to the innermost part between the teeth without bending more than necessary.
JP 2001-309819 A

  However, in order to further enhance the plaque removal effect at the interdental portion in the above-mentioned toothbrush, it is necessary to enlarge the flocking table if a plurality of rows of tufts having a narrow bundle diameter and a high bristle length are required. It became a problem in terms of sex.

  It is an object of the present invention to provide a toothbrush having a further enhanced plaque removal effect and excellent operability by implanting a plurality of rows of tufts having a small bundle diameter and high bristles.

  The present invention is a toothbrush in which tufts formed by bundling bristles are arranged in a row in a plurality of rows by arranging the tufts in the longitudinal direction of the flocking table, and the bundle diameter is smaller than the bundle diameter of tufts in the outermost row. In addition, tuft rows having a hair length higher than the tuft length of the outermost row are provided as longest tuft rows on the inner side adjacent to the outermost row, and the tuft rows are larger than the tuft bundle diameter of the longest tuft row. A tuft row having a large diameter and lower than the tuft length of the tuft of the longest tuft row is provided as a central row between the longest tuft rows, and the tuft of the outermost row is provided on the flocking table. The above object is achieved by providing a toothbrush that is inclined to the front end side or rear end side in the longitudinal direction.

  According to the toothbrush of the present invention, a plurality of rows of tufts having a narrow bundle diameter and a high bristle height are implanted, whereby the plaque removal effect is further enhanced and the operability is excellent. In addition, interdental delivery of dentifrice is superior, so when using a fluoride-containing dentifrice, it is possible to deliver fluoride to the interproximal part at a high concentration quickly, and caries and periodontal diseases. It is effective for prevention.

  A toothbrush 10 according to a preferred first embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS. 1 (a) to 1 (c) has a gripping part (not shown) and a flocking table 11 as shown in FIGS. 1 (a) to (c). And hair bundles (tufts) 15a, 15b, 15c, 16a, 17a formed by bundling a plurality of bristles 14 in a plurality of flock holes 13 formed in a flock base 11 of a toothbrush body consisting of a neck portion 12 connecting them. Each is constructed by flocking (planting).

  The toothbrush body is made of a synthetic resin such as polypropylene or ABS resin, for example, and the flat surface of the flocking table 11 is predetermined in the vertical and horizontal directions corresponding to the arrangement positions of the tufts 15a, 15b, 15c, 16a, and 17a. A large number of flock holes 13 are formed at intervals of. In addition, each flock hole 13 has a predetermined size (for example, paragraphs [0014], [0016], and the like described later) in which the root diameter of tufts 15a, 15b, 15c, 16a, and 17a planted in the flock hole 13 is rooted. [0018] and a circular cross-section having a size described in [0021] and a depth of 2 to 5 mm, for example. The tufts 15a, 15b, 15c, 16a, and 17a are respectively implanted in the flock holes 13 by a method of driving a flat wire, a method of fusing with heat, or the like.

  The bristle 14 constituting each tuft 15a, 15b, 15c, 16a, 17a is made of, for example, a synthetic resin such as nylon or a natural material such as pig hair, and has a thickness of, for example, 6 to 10 mil (0.15 to 0.25 mm). For example, by bundling a dozen to several dozen filaments, the tufts 15a, 15b, 15c having a bundle diameter of, for example, 1 to 1.6 mm, corresponding to the opening shape of each flock hole 13, are formed. , 16a, 17a are formed. In addition, according to the first embodiment, the tip of each bristle 14 can be processed into a round shape, a spherical shape, or the like in addition to being tapered, for example.

  The toothbrush 10 according to the first embodiment is a toothbrush in which tufts 15 a, 15 b, and 15 c formed by bundling a bristle 14 are continuously provided in the longitudinal direction X of the flocking table 11 and are implanted in the multiple rows flocking table 11. There is a row of tufts 15b having a bundle diameter smaller than the bundle diameter of the outermost tufts 15a (hereinafter referred to as "outermost tufts 15a") and having a hair length higher than the hair length of the outermost tufts 15a. The tufts 15b of the longest tuft row (hereinafter referred to as "longest tufts 15b") are provided on the inner side adjacent to the outermost row, and the outermost tufts 15a are provided, for example, on the distal side in the longitudinal direction X of the flocking table 11. It is planted at an angle.

  Further, according to the toothbrush 10 of the first embodiment, the bundle diameter is larger than the bundle diameter of the longest tuft 15b, and is arranged between the longest tuft rows adjacent to each other inside the outermost rows on both sides. One row of tufts 15c having a hair length lower than that of the tuft 15b is provided as a central row of tufts 15c (hereinafter referred to as "central tuft 15c").

  Furthermore, according to the toothbrush 10 of the first embodiment, the rows of the outermost tuft 15a, the longest tuft 15b, and the central tuft 15c are sandwiched between the front end portion and the rear end portion in the longitudinal direction X of the flocking table 11. A front end side auxiliary tuft group 16 consisting of a plurality of front end auxiliary tufts 16a and a rear end side auxiliary tuft group 17 consisting of a plurality of rear end auxiliary tufts 17a are provided.

  The outermost tufts 15a are provided at five locations in each outermost row, and are arranged so that the bundle diameter at the root portion is, for example, 1.6 mm, and the center interval at the root portion is, for example, 2.8 mm. Moreover, the hair height which is the height from the surface of the flocking table 11 is, for example, 11.0 mm, and the front end side in the longitudinal direction X of the flocking table 11 from the direction perpendicular to the flocking surface of the flocking table 11. For example, the plant is inclined at an angle of 5 degrees.

  Here, the bundle diameter of the outermost tuft 15a is preferably 1.4 to 1.8 mm, and the center interval of the outermost tuft 15a is preferably 2.4 to 3.2 mm. By setting the bundle diameter of the outermost tuft 15a to 1.4 to 1.8 mm and the center interval of the outermost tuft 15a to 2.4 to 3.2 mm, a balance between flexibility and rigidity for polishing the tooth surface. As a result, it is possible to obtain an advantage that the effect of removing plaque from the tooth neck is enhanced. The outermost tuft 15a preferably has a bristle length of 9 to 12 mm, and the step difference between the outermost tuft 15a and the longest tuft 15b is preferably 0.5 to 2 mm. By setting the hair length of the outermost tuft 15a to 9 to 12 mm and the step between the outermost tuft 15a and the longest tuft 15b to 0.5 to 2 mm, the longest tuft 15b is difficult to spread outward, and the interdental part and the gingiva The advantage of being easy to reach the groove is obtained. Furthermore, the inclination angle of the outermost tuft 15a in the longitudinal direction X of the flocking table 11 is preferably 3 to 10 degrees. By setting the tilt angle of the outermost tuft 15a to 3 to 10 degrees, the longest tuft 15b is more difficult to spread outward, and the advantage that it can easily reach the interdental part and the gingival sulcus is obtained. . In addition, by setting the tilt angle of the outermost tuft 15a to 10 degrees or less, it is possible to obtain the advantage of minimizing the hitting of the gum and making it difficult to be damaged.

  The longest tufts 15b are provided at five locations in each longest tuft row, and are arranged so that the bundle diameter at the root portion is thinner than the outermost tuft 15a, for example, 1 mm, and the center interval at the root portion is, for example, 2.8 mm. Has been. Moreover, the hair height which is the height from the surface of the flocking table 11 is, for example, 13 mm, which is higher than the outermost tuft 15a, and is planted in a direction perpendicular to the flocking surface of the flocking table 11 without being inclined. ing.

  Here, the bundle diameter of the longest tuft 15b is preferably 0.8 to 1.2 mm, and the hair length of the longest tuft 15b is preferably 10 to 14 mm. By setting the bundle diameter of the longest tuft 15b to 0.8 to 1.2 mm and the bristle length of the longest tuft 15b to 10 to 14 mm, the balance between flexibility and rigidity for reaching the gap is improved, and the interdental space The advantage that it can easily reach the part and the gingival sulcus is obtained. The center distance of the longest tuft 15b is preferably 2.4 to 3.2 mm. By setting the center interval of the longest tuft 15b to 2.4 to 3.2 mm, the longest tuft 15b does not concentrate too much, so it easily reaches the interdental portion and the gingival crevice, and does not disperse too much. The advantage is that the groove can be polished efficiently.

  The center tuft 15c is provided at five locations in one center row arranged between the longest tuft rows, and the bundle diameter at the root portion is thicker than the longest tuft 15b, for example, 1.6 mm, and the center at the root portion It arrange | positions so that a space | interval may be 2.8 mm, for example. Moreover, the hair height which is the height from the surface of the flocking table 11 is, for example, 11 mm, which is lower than the longest tuft 15b, and is planted in a direction perpendicular to the flocking surface of the flocking table 11 without being inclined. Yes.

  Here, the bundle diameter of the central tuft 15c is preferably 1.4 to 2 mm, and the center interval of the central tuft 15c is preferably 2.4 to 3.2 mm. By setting the bundle diameter of the central tuft 15c to 1.4 to 2 mm and the center interval of the central tuft 15c to 2.4 to 3.2 mm, the longest tuft 15b becomes difficult to spread inward, and the interdental part and gingival sulcus The advantage of being easy to reach is obtained. Further, the hair length of the central tuft 15c is preferably 8 to 12 mm, and the step between the central tuft 15c and the longest tuft 15b is preferably 1 to 2.5 mm. By setting the hair length of the central tuft 15c to 8 to 12 mm and the step between the central tuft 15c and the longest tuft 15b to 1 to 2.5 mm, the longest tuft 15b is less likely to spread inward, and the interdental portion or gingival crevice The advantage of being easy to reach will be obtained.

  According to the first embodiment, the two outermost rows by the outermost tuft 15a, the two longest tuft rows by the longest tuft 15b, and the one central row by the central tuft 15c are The center spacing in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction X is, for example, 2.8 mm, and the tufts 15a, 15b, 15c in each row are staggered from the tufts 15a, 15b, 15c in the adjacent rows. Are arranged in a zigzag pattern. Here, the center interval in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction X of the flocking table 11 in each row is preferably set to 2 to 3.2 mm. By setting the center interval of each row to 2 to 3.2 mm, the tufts of each row are not concentrated too much, and it is easy to move, and since it does not disperse too much, the advantage of being efficiently polished can be obtained. In addition, by arranging the tufts 15a, 15b, and 15c in each row in a staggered manner, it is possible to effectively utilize the flocking space and obtain an advantage that the flocking table does not become larger than necessary.

  The tip auxiliary tufts 16a constituting the tip side auxiliary tuft group 16 are provided, for example, in two rows and five places in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction X of the flocking table 11, and the bundle diameter at the root portion is, for example, 1.6 mm, The hair length is 11 mm, for example, and is planted in a direction perpendicular to the flocked surface of the flocking table 11 without being inclined. Further, the rear end auxiliary tufts 17a constituting the rear end side auxiliary tuft group 17 are provided at, for example, three places, and the bundle diameter at the root portion is, for example, 1.6 mm, the hair length is, for example, 11 mm, and without inclination. It is planted in a direction perpendicular to the hair surface of the flocking table 11.

  And according to the toothbrush 10 of this 1st Embodiment which has the above-mentioned structure, the outermost tuft 15a inclined and planted is effectively related with the longest tuft 15b as another tuft, and the entire toothbrush 10 The cleaning effect and the feeling of use can be improved efficiently. That is, according to the first embodiment, the row of the longest tufts 15b having a bundle diameter smaller than the bundle diameter of the outermost tuft 15a and having a hair length higher than the bristles of the outermost tuft 15a is defined as the outermost row. Since the longest tufts 15a are provided on the inner side adjacent to each other and the outermost tuft 15a is inclined and planted in the longitudinal direction X of the flocking table 11, the outermost tufts 15a are inclined in the longitudinal direction X. As a result, the outermost tuft 15a effectively prevents the longest tuft 15b from spreading to the outside of the bristle 14, and improves the tooth surface contact force, and has a high tooth neck (between teeth and gums). Demonstrates plaque removal effect. Further, since the longest tuft row by the longest tuft 15b is arranged adjacent to the inner side of the outermost tuft 15a, the longest tuft 15b can easily reach not only the interdental portion but also the gingival sulcus. Even when the teeth are brushed as usual by the brushing operation, the entire brushing effect and feeling of use of the toothbrush 10 are effectively improved.

  Further, according to the first embodiment, the longest tuft 15b is disposed between the longest tuft rows adjacent to each other inside the outermost row, and the bundle diameter is larger than the longest tuft 15b and the longest tuft. Since the central row of the central tufts 15c having a hair length lower than 15b is provided, the central tuft 15c having a large bundle diameter and a low hair height improves the effect of removing plaque on a relatively flat surface of the teeth. It becomes possible to make it.

  FIGS. 2A to 2C show a toothbrush 20 according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention. The toothbrush 20 of the second embodiment has substantially the same configuration as the toothbrush 10 of the first embodiment, but is disposed between the longest tufts 15b of the longest tuft row adjacent to the inside of the outermost row. The tufts 15f in one central row have the same bundle diameter and bristle length as the central tuft 15c in the toothbrush 10 of the first embodiment, and on the rear end side in the longitudinal direction X of the tuft 11 The second central tuft 15f is planted at an angle of, for example, 5 degrees from the direction perpendicular to the 11 flocked surfaces. The toothbrush 20 of the second embodiment also provides substantially the same operational effects as the toothbrush 10 of the first embodiment, and the second central tuft 15f preferably has an angle of 3 to 15 degrees. By tilting in the longitudinal direction X, the longest tuft 15b is more difficult to spread inward, and an effect is achieved that it is very easy to reach the interdental part and the gingival sulcus.

  FIGS. 3A to 3C show a toothbrush 30 according to a preferred third embodiment of the present invention. While the toothbrush 30 of the third embodiment has a configuration substantially similar to that of the toothbrush 10 of the first embodiment, the outermost tuft 15a in the outermost row is a tuft 15a when the toothbrush 30 is viewed from the side. A tip line 18 connecting the tips of the two is provided so as to draw an arcuate curved line that is convex upward. The toothbrush 30 of the third embodiment also provides substantially the same operational effects as the toothbrush 10 of the first embodiment, and the tip line 18 connecting the tips of the outermost tufts 15a becomes an arcuate curved line. The outermost tuft 15a can be gently touched while relaxing the contact force to the gums of the outermost tuft 15a planted obliquely, by the outermost tuft 15a, It can be made to polish more firmly.

  The tip line 18 connecting the tips of the tufts 15a is preferably curved in an arc shape so that the radius of curvature is 10 to 25 mm. By curving the tip line 18 connecting the tips of the tufts 15a in an arc shape so that the radius of curvature is 10 to 25 mm, even if the outermost tuft 15a is inclined in the longitudinal direction, the tooth neck is not damaged. The advantage of being able to polish the part well will be obtained.

  FIGS. 4A to 4C show a toothbrush 40 according to a fourth preferred embodiment of the present invention. The toothbrush 40 of the fourth embodiment has substantially the same configuration as that of the toothbrush 30 of the third embodiment, while the tip auxiliary tuft 16b constituting the tip auxiliary tuft group 16 provided at the tip portion of the flocking table 11. The tip line 19 connecting the tips of the tufts 16b is an obliquely cut inclined line inclined downward toward the longitudinal direction X center side of the flocking table 11, and the central tuft on the longitudinal direction X center side. From approximately the same height as 15c, the hair height increases linearly with a gradient of, for example, 5 to 20 degrees toward the tip side. In addition, according to the toothbrush 40 of the fourth embodiment, the tip auxiliary tuft 16 b constituting the tip auxiliary tuft group 16 provided at the tip portion is directed toward the center side in the longitudinal direction X of the flocking table 11. The rear end auxiliary tuft 17b constituting the rear end auxiliary tuft group 17 provided at the rear end portion is inclined at an angle of, for example, 1.5 degrees from the direction perpendicular to the flocked surface of The planting table 11 is planted at an angle of, for example, 5 degrees from the direction perpendicular to the planting surface of the planting table 11 toward the center side in the longitudinal direction X of the planting table 11.

  The toothbrush 40 of the fourth embodiment also provides substantially the same operational effects as the toothbrush 30 of the third embodiment, and the tip line 19 connecting the tips of the tip auxiliary tufts 16b is lowered toward the center. The tip auxiliary tuft 16b can be effectively delivered to the back of the back teeth by the inclined line inclined to the back. In addition, the tip auxiliary tuft 16b is inclined toward the center side in the longitudinal direction X of the flocking table 11, so that the bristle 14 firmly hits the tooth surface behind the back teeth at the tip instead of the middle part. Will be obtained. Further, by planting the rear end auxiliary tuft 17b so as to be inclined toward the center side in the longitudinal direction X of the flocking table 11, the outermost tuft 15a and the central tuft 15c are filled in the vacant space inclined in the longitudinal direction, The advantage of preventing unevenness in the bristles is obtained.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made. For example, it is not always necessary to provide an auxiliary tuft group at the front end portion and the rear end portion of the flocking table, and an auxiliary tuft group is provided only at either the front end portion or the rear end portion, or an auxiliary tuft group is provided at any one of them. Alternatively, a toothbrush may be formed. Two or more central tufts arranged between the longest tuft rows adjacent to each other inside the outermost rows on both sides may be provided, or may be constituted by two or more different tufts. Furthermore, the flock holes and tufts do not necessarily have a circular cross section. Furthermore, the tufts in the outermost row can be inclined and planted to the rear end side of the flocking table.

  Hereinafter, the toothbrush of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to Examples and Comparative Examples.

[Examples 1 to 4]
A toothbrush having the same configuration as the toothbrush 10 of the first embodiment was used as the toothbrush of Example 1. A toothbrush having the same configuration as the toothbrush 20 of the second embodiment was used as the toothbrush of Example 2. A toothbrush having the same configuration as the toothbrush 30 of the third embodiment was used as a toothbrush of Example 3. A toothbrush having the same configuration as the toothbrush 40 of the fourth embodiment was used as a toothbrush of Example 4. About the toothbrushes of Examples 1 to 4, according to the method described later, "dental plaque removal rate", "dental plaque removal rate", "back tooth plaque removal rate", and "gum gum" as clinical evaluations Was evaluated. Moreover, as a use evaluation, “feeling that the tip of the hair reaches the interdental part”, “feeling that the tip of the hair reaches the gingival crevice”, and “feeling that the tip of the hair reaches the back of the back tooth” were evaluated. Details of the toothbrushes of Examples 1 to 4 are shown in Table 1, and the evaluation results are shown in Table 2.

[Comparative Examples 1 and 2]
As shown in FIGS. 5 (a) to 5 (c), tufts formed by bundling bristles are connected in the longitudinal direction of the flocking table and are planted in a plurality of rows of flocking tables, and the tufts of the tufts in the center row are narrowed. A toothbrush having a higher bristle length and a progressively lower bristle length toward the outer row was used as the toothbrush of Comparative Example 1. As shown in FIGS. 6A to 6C, in the toothbrush 10 of the first embodiment, there is no longest tuft row, the outermost tuft and the central tuft are cut into bristle lengths, and the outermost row of the outermost row. A toothbrush of Comparative Example 2 was obtained by tilting the tuft by 20 degrees. About the toothbrushes of Comparative Examples 1 and 2, similarly to the toothbrushes of Examples 1 to 4, "the plaque removal rate of the interdental part", "the plaque removal rate of the cervical part", "the plaque removal rate of the back teeth" , And "low gumming damage" was evaluated. Moreover, as a use evaluation, “feeling that the tip of the hair reaches the interdental part”, “feeling that the tip of the hair reaches the gingival crevice”, and “feeling that the tip of the hair reaches the back of the back tooth” were evaluated. Details of the toothbrushes of Comparative Examples 1 and 2 are shown in Table 1, and the evaluation results are shown in Table 2.

[Clinical evaluation]
Clinical evaluation was performed according to the following procedure.
That is, 10 men and women in their 20s to 30s were selected as subjects, and 16 teeth in total including the central incisors, first premolars, first molars, and second molars were used as test teeth. At that time, the test tooth was a tooth without a crown prosthesis or caries. In the evaluation procedure, the dental plaque was completely removed on the day before the evaluation, and after polishing, the toothbrushing was stopped and the plaque was accumulated. After 24 hours, the plaque was dyed red with a plaque stain (Prospec / GC), and the amount of plaque before and after brushing was measured with each evaluation toothbrush. In addition, before and after each evaluation toothbrush was cleaned, the presence or absence of a scratch on the gum was visually confirmed, and the number of scratches after the brush was counted.
The amount of plaque was measured by obtaining the height of plaque from the gingival margin (a height of 0.5 mm using a pocket probe) by a dental hygienist. The measurement site | part of each test tooth divided the tooth surface of each buccal side and the lingual side into 5 equally, and was set as ten central parts of each division surface. Of these, the interdental plaque amount is 2 sites on both sides of all the test teeth in FIG. 7, the dental plaque amount is the central 3 sites of all test teeth in FIG. 7, and the back plaque amount is the first largest. All parts of the molars and second molars were used.
To determine the plaque removal rate,
Interdental area: 80% or more ◎, 70% or more ○, 60% or more △, less than 60% ×
Tooth neck: 90% or more ◎, 80% or more ○, 70% or more △, less than 70% ×
Back teeth: ◎ 80% or more, ◯ 70% or more, △ 60% or more △, less than 60% ×
As evaluated.
Plaque removal rate (%) = (plaque amount before brushing−plaque amount after brushing) / plaque amount before brushing × 100
In addition, the wiping method was based on the free method which each test subject performs every day.
The evaluation of low gum damage was evaluated as ◎ when the number of scratches was 0, ○ when 1-2, △ when 3-5, and x when 6 or more.

[Use evaluation]
The above-mentioned 10 male and female subjects were surveyed and evaluated for the feeling of use when brushing their teeth.
Judgment is based on a total of 45 scores (“feel” 5 points, “slightly feel” 4 points, “can't say” 3 points, “not so much” 2 points, “not feel” 1 point) A point or more was evaluated as ◎, a score of 40 or more as ◯, a score of 30 or more as Δ, and a score of less than 30 as ×.

  According to the evaluation results shown in Table 1, it can be seen that the toothbrushes of Examples 1 to 4 according to the present invention can obtain high evaluations regarding the brushing effect and feeling of use of the entire toothbrush.

[Dental interdental delivery test]
The relationship between the type and use of toothbrushes and the delivery of dentifrice to the interdental region was examined quantitatively using an interdental model and a brushing machine.
As shown in FIG. 8, an interdental model was used in which cylinders having a diameter of 5 mm were fixed facing each other at intervals of 0.2 mm. The brushing machine had a stroke of 20 mm, a load of 200 g, a speed of 120 times / min, a number of brushes of 60 times, and a brush angle (90, 75, 60 degrees). The fluoride-containing dentifrice was a commercially available product (Clear Clean Plus Xylitol (manufactured by Kao Corporation)). After applying about 1 g to the interdental model, brushing was performed. Thereafter, the amount of dentifrice that passed through the 0.2 mm gap of the interdental model and reached the back was measured. The toothbrushes used were the toothbrush of Example 1, the toothbrush of Comparative Example 1, the toothbrush with the brush face cut from the side (I), the toothbrush with a tapered tip (T), and the toothbrush with a rounded tip. (D). The measurement result of the amount (mg) of the dentifrice that reached the back of the interdental model is shown in FIG.

  The toothbrush of Example 4 had the largest amount of dentifrice (mg) reaching the back of the interdental model at any angle of 90 to 60 degrees. From these results, it became clear that the toothbrush of Example 4 has little angle dependency and can deliver the dentifrice to the interproximal part most efficiently. Brushing behavior varies widely among individuals and is diverse, and it is not easy to learn ideal techniques. The use of a toothbrush and a dentifrice that can deliver dentifrice to the interdental area, regardless of how to polish, can deliver a high concentration of fluoride to the interdental area quickly, and caries and periodontal diseases It is effective for prevention.

The structure of the principal part of the toothbrush which concerns on preferable 1st Embodiment of this invention is demonstrated, (a) is a top view, (b) is a side view, (c) is a front view along AA of (b). It is. The structure of the principal part of the toothbrush which concerns on preferable 2nd Embodiment of this invention is demonstrated, (a) is a top view, (b) is a side view, (c) is a front view along AA of (b). It is. The structure of the principal part of the toothbrush which concerns on preferable 3rd Embodiment of this invention is demonstrated, (a) is a top view, (b) is a side view, (c) is a front view along AA of (b). It is. The structure of the principal part of the toothbrush which concerns on preferable 4th Embodiment of this invention is demonstrated, (a) is a top view, (b) is a side view, (c) is a front view along AA of (b). It is. The structure of the principal part of the toothbrush of the comparative example 1 is demonstrated, (a) is a top view, (b) is a side view, (c) is a front view along AA of (b). The structure of the principal part of the toothbrush of the comparative example 2 is demonstrated, (a) is a top view, (b) is a side view, (c) is a front view along AA of (b). It is explanatory drawing of the height of an interdental part, a tooth neck part, and plaque in a plaque removal test. It is explanatory drawing of the interdental part model used for the interdental part delivery test of dentifrice. It is a graph showing the relationship between the toothbrush by the interdental part delivery test of a dentifrice, a brushing angle, and a dentifrice delivery amount.

Explanation of symbols

10, 20, 30, 40 Toothbrush 11 Flocking table 12 Neck part 13 Flocking hole 14 Bristle 15a Outermost tuft (tuft of outermost row)
15b Longest tuft (longest tuft row tuft)
15c center tuft (center row tuft)
15f 2nd center tuft 16 Front end side auxiliary tuft group 16a, 16b Front end side auxiliary tuft 17 Rear end side auxiliary tuft group 17a, 17b Rear end auxiliary tuft 18 Tip line 19 connecting the tips of the outermost tufts Tie the tip of the tip side auxiliary tuft Tip line X Longitudinal direction of flocking table

Claims (5)

A toothbrush in which tufts formed by bundling bristles are arranged in a row in a plurality of rows by flocking in the longitudinal direction of the flocking table,
Tuft rows having a bundle diameter smaller than the bundle diameter of the outermost row tufts and higher than the tuft length of the outermost row are provided as longest tuft rows on the inner side adjacent to the outermost row. And
A tuft row having a bundle diameter larger than the tuft bundle diameter of the longest tuft row and having a hair length lower than the tuft length of the longest tuft row is provided as a central row between the longest tuft rows,
And the toothbrush in which the tuft of the said outermost row | line is inclined and planted in the front end side or rear end side of the longitudinal direction of the said flocking table.   The toothbrush according to claim 1, wherein the tufts in the center row are planted so as to be inclined toward a front end side or a rear end side in a longitudinal direction of the flocking table.   The outermost row of tufts is provided such that when the toothbrush is viewed from the side, a tip line connecting the tip of the tuft draws an arcuate curved line that is convex upward. The toothbrush described.   An auxiliary tuft group is provided at the front end portion and / or the rear end portion of the flocking table, and the auxiliary tuft group has a tip line connecting the front end of the tuft when the toothbrush is viewed from the side. The toothbrush in any one of Claims 1-3 which becomes the inclination line which inclines below toward the longitudinal direction center side. An auxiliary tuft group is provided at a front end portion and / or a rear end portion of the flocking table, and the tufts of the auxiliary tuft group are inclined and planted toward the longitudinal center side of the flocking table. The toothbrush in any one of claim | item 1 -4.

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