Oral compositions containing oxidized camellia

Abstract

Oral composition comprising a Camellia extract of semi-oxidized tissue from a member of the genus Camellia and an enhancing agent.

1 . An oral composition comprising: 
 a  Camellia  extract of semi-oxidized tissue, and    an enhancing agent.    
     
     
         2 . A composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the  Camellia  extract is an Oolong tea extract.  
     
     
         3 . A composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the  Camellia  extract is an extract of  Camellia  leaves that have been oxidized about 20% to about 60%.  
     
     
         4 . A composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the  Camellia  extract is present in the oral composition about 0.001% to about 10% by weight.  
     
     
         5 . A composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the  Camellia  extract is present in the oral composition about 1% to about 5% by weight.  
     
     
         6 . A composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the enhancing agent is a water soluble or swellable anionic polymer or co-polymer comprising delivery enhancing groups and retention enhancing groups, the delivery enhancing groups enhancing delivery of components of the  Camellia  extract to teeth and oral tissue, and the retention enhancing groups enhancing retention by the teeth and the oral tissue of components of the  Camellia  extract.  
     
     
         7 . A composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the enhancing agent is a polymeric polycarboxylate of average molecular weight about 100 to about 1,000,000.  
     
     
         8 . A composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the enhancing agent is a polymeric phosphonate of average molecular weight about 100 to about 1,000,000.  
     
     
         9 . A composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the enhancing agent is a copolymer of maleic acid or anhydride with methylvinylether.  
     
     
         10 . A composition according to  claim 1  additionally comprising a solubilizing agent.  
     
     
         11 . A composition according to  claim 1 , further comprising a material selected from the group consisting of humectant, thickener, fluoride ion source present in an amount sufficient to provide from about 25 to about 2,000 ppm of fluoride ion, an effective anti-plaque amount of an anti-bacterial agent, effective anti-calculus amount of anti-calculus agent, a polishing agent, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         12 . A composition according to  claim 1 , additionally comprising an antibacterial agent.  
     
     
         13 . A composition according to  claim 12 , wherein the anti-bacterial agent is 2′,4,4′-trichloro-2-hydroxy-diphenyl ether.  
     
     
         14 . A composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the oral composition is at least one of a dentifrice, paste, or gel comprising a fluoride ion source present from about 0.001% to about 5%, a humectant present from about 10% to about 30%, water present from about 5% to about 30%, and water insoluble polishing agent present from about 10% to about 30%.  
     
     
         15 . A method of using an oral composition for removing dental plaque and/or inhibiting deposition of dental plaque within an oral cavity, the oral composition comprising: 
 a  Camellia  extract of semi-oxidized tissue; and    an enhancing agent.    
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 15 , wherein the  Camellia  extract is an Oolong tea extract.  
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 15 , wherein the  Camellia  extract is an extract of  Camellia  leaves that have been oxidized about 20% to about 60%.  
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 15 , wherein the enhancing agent is a water soluble or swellable anionic polymer or co-polymer comprising delivery enhancing groups and retention enhancing groups, the delivery enhancing groups enhancing delivery of components of the  Camellia  extract to teeth and oral tissue, and the retention enhancing groups enhancing retention by the teeth and the oral tissue of components of the  Camellia  extract.  
     
     
         19 . A method according to  claim 15 , wherein the enhancing agent is a copolymer of maleic acid or anhydride with methylvinylether.  
     
     
         20 . A method according to  claim 15 , additionally comprising an antibacterial agent.  
     
     
         21 . A method according to  claim 15 , additionally comprising a solubilizing agent.  
     
     
         22 . A method for at least one of removing dental plaque and inhibiting deposition of dental plaque within an oral cavity of a human or other animal subject comprising topically contacting teeth of the subject with an oral composition containing: (A) a  Camellia  extract of semi-oxidized tissue; and (B) an enhancing agent.  
     
     
         23 . A method according to  claim 22 , wherein the  Camellia  extract is an extract of  Camellia  leaves that have been oxidized about 20% to about 60%.  
     
     
         24 . A method according to  claim 22 , wherein the enhancing agent is a copolymer of maleic acid or anhydride with another polymerizable ethylenically unsaturated monomer.  
     
     
         25 . A method according to  claim 22 , further comprising a solubilizing agent.  
     
     
         26 . An oral composition for at least one of inhibiting and removing dental plaque comprising: 
 a  Camellia  extract of semi-oxidized tissue;    an antibacterial agent; and    an agent selected from the group consisting of synthetic polymeric polycarboxylate or a synthetic anionic polymeric phosphonate polymer having an average molecular weight of from about 100 to about 1,000,000.    
     
     
         27 . A composition according to  claim 26 , wherein the  Camellia  extract is an extract of  Camellia  leaves that have been oxidized about 20% to about 60%.  
     
     
         28 . A composition according to  claim 26 , wherein the antibacterial agent is 2′,4,4′-trichloro-2-hydroxy-diphenyl ether.  
     
     
         29 . A composition according to  claim 26 , further comprising an anionic copolymer of maleic acid or anhydride with another ethylenically unsaturated polymerizable monomer.