Particulate coated monofilament devices

Abstract

Disclosed are coated monofilament dental devices overcoated with biofilm-responsive particulate abrasives.

1 . (canceled)  
   
   
       2 . A method for removing, disrupting and controlling biofilms comprising the step of flossing interproximal and subgingival areas with monofilament dental tape including two coatings, 
 a saliva soluble base coating; and    a particulate abrasive overcoating;    wherein said base coating and particulate abrasive overcoating are released during flossing and cooperate with said monofilament dental tape to remove, disrupt and control biofilms.    
   
   
       3 . A method for overcoating coated monofilament dental devices with particulate abrasive comprising the steps of: 
 (a) impinging particulate abrasive onto heated liquid base, substantive coatings contained on said monofilament dental devices and;    (b) subsequently passing said particulate overcoated, coated monofilament dental devices through a cooling zone, whereby said base coating solidifies entrapping said particulate abrasive onto said base coating.    
   
   
       4 . Coated monofilament dental devices, overcoated with biofilm-responsive, releasable, particulate abrasives and saliva soluble particulates, wherein: 
 said monofilament dental device is selected from the group consisting of PTFE, polyethylene, polypropylene and elastomeric monofilament devices;    coatings for said monofilament dental devices are selected from saliva soluble emulsion and crystal-free coatings; and    said particulate abrasives are selected from the group consisting of organic, inorganic, dental and active abrasives and mixtures thereof.    
   
   
       5 . (canceled)  
   
   
       6 . (canceled)  
   
   
       7 . (canceled)  
   
   
       8 . (canceled)  
   
   
       9 . (canceled)  
   
   
       10 . (canceled)  
   
   
       11 . (canceled)  
   
   
       12 . Coated monofilament dental devices according to  claim 4 , wherein said monofilament dental device comprises polyethylene.  
   
   
       13 . A method for removing, disrupting and controlling biofilms comprising the step of flossing interproximal and subgingival areas with particulate abrasive, overcoated monofilament dental device containing a saliva soluble base coating, wherein said base coating is imbedded with a particulate abrasive overcoating that functions as a soft abrasive oral sandpaper during flossing to remove, disrupt and control biofilms.  
   
   
       14 . (canceled)  
   
   
       15 . A method for overcoating coated monofilament dental tape with particulate abrasives comprising the steps of: 
 (a) impinging particulate abrasives onto a heated liquid base coating substantive to said monofilament followed by;    (b) impinging saliva soluble particulates onto said heated liquid base coating,    (c) subsequently passing said imbedded particulate overcoated, coated monofilament dental tape through a cooling zone, whereby said base coating solidifies entrapping said particulates into said base coating and    (d) passing said particulate overcoated, coated monofilament dental tape through an imbedded particulate overcoating compression means.    
   
   
       16 . Coated, texturized, monofilament dental devices having a denier between about 300 and about 1000 containing from between about 10 and about 100 mg/yd of saliva soluble emulsion base coating and having a biofilm-responsive particulate overcoating imbedded therein, wherein: 
 said particulate abrasive coating comprises from between about 2 and about 45 percent by weight of said device; and    said particulate abrasive coating has a Incidental Release Factor (IRF) of at least about 85 percent by weight.    
   
   
       17 . Coated monofilament dental devices according to  claim 16 , wherein said emulsion base coating is an emulsion of polydimethylsiloxane and block copolymers of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide.  
   
   
       18 . Coated monofilament dental devices according to  claim 17 , wherein said biofilm-responsive particulate overcoating contains a whitening substance.  
   
   
       19 . Coated monofilament dental devices according to  claim 16 , wherein said base coating and said particulate overcoating each contain a tartar control substance.  
   
   
       20 . Coated monofilament dental devices according to  claim 4 , wherein said coating is an insoluble wax coating, said particulate abrasive is an active abrasive, and said saliva particulate is an emulsion of polydimethylsiloxane and block copolymers of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein excess particulate abrasive is collected and recycled using a vacuum cyclone recovery means.