Dental hygiene appliance

Abstract

A portable dental hygiene appliance is made up of two separable components. The first component consists of an enclosed compartment in which toothpaste, sealed within an airtight bag or in caplet form, is located. At one end of the compartment a dental element, such as a toothpick, floss support, rigid tooth cleaning element, is located for ease of use. At the other end of the component there is an accessway with an opening leading to the compartment. The second component includes a toothbrush at one end and a blade or similar piercing device at the other. During normal transport of the appliance, the two components can easily be carried adjacent each other. When the user needs to brush his or her teeth, the blade in the second component is inserted into the accessway of the first component in order to pierce or puncture the sealed bag or caplet containing the toothpaste. The compartment, which is resiliently flexible in nature, can then be squeezed, forcing the toothpaste through the accessway, out of the first component and onto the toothbrush of the second component. After use, the components are designed to be readily disposed of or reused.

1 . A dental hygiene appliance comprising: 
 (a) a first unitary body comprising a closed compartment and enclosure means for storing a tooth care substance within the compartment;    (b) a second, separable unitary body comprising a tooth care element at one end of the body and, at a second end of the body, piercing means to penetrate the enclosure means within the closed compartment; and    (c) delivery means providing access from the compartment, whereby when the piercing means penetrates the enclosure means the tooth care substance has unrestricted travel from the compartment, through the delivery means, for use on the tooth care element.    
   
   
       2 . The dental hygiene appliance as in  claim 1  wherein the first unitary body comprises a tooth care element extending from the compartment.  
   
   
       3 . A dental hygiene appliance as in  claim 1  wherein the tooth care substance is toothpaste.  
   
   
       4 . A dental hygiene appliance as in  claim 1  wherein the piercing means is a blade element.  
   
   
       5 . The dental hygiene appliance as in  claim 1  wherein the delivery means is an accessway extending from the compartment.  
   
   
       6 . The dental hygiene appliance as in  claim 1  wherein the tooth care element is a toothbrush.  
   
   
       7 . The dental hygiene appliance as in  claim 6  wherein the first unitary body comprises a tooth care element extending from the compartment.  
   
   
       8 . The dental hygiene appliance as in  claim 2  wherein the first unitary body tooth care element is a toothpick.  
   
   
       9 . The dental hygiene appliance as in  claim 2  wherein the first unitary body tooth care element is a dental flosser.  
   
   
       10 . The dental hygiene appliance as in  claim 2  wherein the first unitary body tooth care element is a rigid tooth cleaner.  
   
   
       11 . The dental hygiene appliance as in  claim 7  wherein the first unitary body tooth care element is a toothpick.  
   
   
       12 . The dental hygiene appliance as in  claim 7  wherein the first unitary body tooth care element is a dental flosser.  
   
   
       13 . The dental hygiene appliance as in  claim 7  wherein the first unitary body tooth care element is a rigid tooth cleaner.  
   
   
       14 . The dental hygiene appliance as in  claim 1  wherein the piercing means in the second unitary body is configured to enter the delivery means and the compartment in order to pierce the enclosure means.  
   
   
       15 . The dental hygiene appliance as in  claim 1  wherein the enclosure means is a sealed bag.  
   
   
       16 . The dental hygiene appliance as in  claim 1  wherein the enclosure means is a caplet member.  
   
   
       17 . The dental hygiene appliance as in  claim 1  wherein the compartment is made of flexibly squeezable material.  
   
   
       18 . A dental hygiene appliance comprising: 
 (a) a first component comprising a compartment, an enclosure for the storage of a tooth care substance within the compartment, and a tooth care element extending from the compartment; and    (b) a second component comprising a second tooth care element at one end and, at the other end, piercing means to enter the compartment and penetrate the enclosure, allowing unrestricted travel of the tooth care substance from the compartment, for use on the second tooth care element.    
   
   
       19 . The dental hygiene appliance as in  claim 18  wherein the tooth care substance is toothpaste.  
   
   
       20 . The dental hygiene appliance as in  claim 18  wherein the piercing means is a blade element.  
   
   
       21 . The dental hygiene appliance as in  claim 18  further comprising an accessway extending from the compartment.  
   
   
       22 . The dental hygiene appliance as in  claim 18  wherein the tooth care element of the second component is a toothbrush.  
   
   
       23 . The dental hygiene appliance as in  claim 18  wherein the second tooth care element is a toothpick.  
   
   
       24 . The dental hygiene appliance as in  claim 18  wherein the second tooth care element is a dental flosser.  
   
   
       25 . The dental hygiene appliance as in  claim 18  wherein the second tooth care element is a rigid tooth cleaning element.  
   
   
       26 . The dental hygiene appliance as in  claim 22  wherein the second tooth care element is a toothpick.  
   
   
       27 . The dental hygiene appliance as in  claim 22  wherein the second tooth care element is a dental flosser.  
   
   
       28 . The dental hygiene appliance as in  claim 22  wherein the second tooth care element is a rigid tooth cleaner.  
   
   
       29 . The dental hygiene appliance as in  claim 21  wherein the piercing means in the second component is configured to enter the accessway in order to penetrate the enclosure.  
   
   
       30 . The dental hygiene appliance as in  claim 18  wherein the enclosure is a sealed bag member.  
   
   
       31 . The dental hygiene appliance as in  claim 18  wherein the enclosure is a caplet member.  
   
   
       32 . The dental hygiene appliance as in  claim 18  wherein the compartment is made of flexibly squeezable material.