Chewing gum possessing tooth cleaning effect and a teeth cleaning method

Abstract

The invention relates to a chewing gum possessing tooth cleaning effects, excluding the tooth brush abrasive effect, which chewing gum when chewed on a daily basis as a tooth cleaning agent is capable of replacing the daily tooth brushing, whereby abrasive cleaning damages on teeth side surfaces and gingiva are avoided.

1 . A chewing gum possessing tooth brush cleaning effects, excluding the tooth brush abrasive effect, which chewing gum when chewed on a daily basis functions to replace daily tooth brushing, whereby abrasive cleaning damages on teeth side surfaces and gingiva are avoided.  
     
     
         2 . A chewing gum according to  claim 1 , wherein said chewing on a daily basis involves daily chewing of several pieces of the chewing gum.  
     
     
         3 . A chewing gum according to  claim 2 , wherein said chewing on a daily basis involves at least chewing in the morning and chewing in the evening.  
     
     
         4 . A chewing gum according to  claim 3 , wherein said chewing on a daily basis involves chewing after a meal.  
     
     
         5 . A chewing gum according to  claim 4 , wherein said chewing on a daily basis involves chewing after every main meal consumed during the day.  
     
     
         6 . A chewing gum according to  claim 1 , wherein the individual piece of chewing gum is for chewing for from about 1 to about 5 minutes.  
     
     
         7 . A chewing gum according to  claim 1 , wherein the individual piece of chewing gum is for chewing for longer than 5 minutes.  
     
     
         8 . A chewing gum according to  claim 1 , wherein the individual piece of chewing gum is for chewing for from about 5 minutes to about 20 minutes.  
     
     
         9 . A chewing gum according to  claim 1 , wherein the individual piece of chewing gum is for chewing for longer than 20 minutes.  
     
     
         10 . A chewing gum according to  claim 1 , comprising gum base, at least one ingredient selected from the group consisting of whitening agents and fresh-breath agents, and at least two ingredients having at least two of the following effects: anti-plaque effect, anti-gingivitis effect, anti-calculus effect, or re-mineralization effect.  
     
     
         11 . A chewing gum according to  claim 10 , wherein one or more anti-plaque agents constitute(s) from 0.03 to 50% by weight of the chewing gum.  
     
     
         12 . A chewing gum according to  claim 10 , wherein one or more anti-gingivitis agents constitute(s) from 0.03 to 12% by weight of the chewing gum.  
     
     
         13 . A chewing gum according to  claim 10 , wherein one or more anti-calculus agents constitute(s) from 0.01 to 20% by weight of the chewing gum.  
     
     
         14 . A chewing gum according to  claim 10 , wherein one or more re-mineralization agents constitute(s) from 0.02 to 10% by weight of the chewing gum.  
     
     
         15 . A chewing gum according to  claim 10 , wherein one or more whitening agents constitute(s) from 0.01 to 20% by weight of the chewing gum.  
     
     
         16 . A chewing gum according to  claim 10 , wherein one or more fresh-breath agents constitute(s) from 0.01 to 20% by weight of the chewing gum.  
     
     
         17 . A chewing gum according to  claim 1 , wherein the total amount of ingredients from a group consisting of anti-plaque agents, anti-gingivitis agents, anti-calculus agents, and re-mineralization agents constitutes about 5 to 20% by weight of the chewing gum based on the total weight of the chewing gum, and the total amount of ingredients from a group consisting of whitening agents and fresh-breath agents constitutes about 2 to 12% by weight of the chewing gum based on the total weight of the chewing gum.  
     
     
         18 . A chewing gum according to  claim 1 , wherein the chewing gum is manufactured from a coherent gum.  
     
     
         19 . A chewing gum according to  claim 1 , wherein the chewing gum is manufactured as compressed chewing gum tablets.  
     
     
         20 . A chewing gum according to  claim 1 , wherein the chewing gum is a chewing gum tablet of a compressed mixture of gum base and ingredients of active agents, and optionally of other ingredients.  
     
     
         21 . A chewing gum according to  claim 20 , wherein gum base granules are included in said mixture.  
     
     
         22 . A chewing gum according to  claim 21 , wherein ingredients of active agents are present in said gum base granules.  
     
     
         23 . A chewing gum according to  claim 22 , wherein at least one fraction of said active agents is present only in some of said gum base granules, and at least another fraction of said active agents is present only in others of said gum base granules.  
     
     
         24 . A chewing gum according to  claim 20  and comprising ingredients of active agents present in said mixture in one or both of the following forms: granules and powder.  
     
     
         25 . A chewing gum according to  claim 20 , wherein gum base powder is included in said mixture.  
     
     
         26 . A chewing gum according to  claim 20 , wherein at least one chewing gum powder is included in said mixture.  
     
     
         27 . A chewing gum according to  claim 20 , wherein chewing gum granules are included in said mixture.  
     
     
         28 . A chewing gum according to  claim 27 , wherein ingredients of active agents are present in said chewing gum granules.  
     
     
         29 . A chewing gum according to  claim 27 , wherein at least one fraction of said active agents is present only in some of said chewing gum granules, and at least another fraction of said active agents is present only in others of said chewing gum granules.  
     
     
         30 . A chewing gum according to  claim 20 , wherein said other ingredients include one or more taste ingredients selected from the group consisting of sweeteners, high-potent sweeteners and flavors.  
     
     
         31 . A chewing gum according to  claim 28 , wherein a fraction of said ingredients of active agents is included in said gum base.  
     
     
         32 . A chewing gum according to  claim 31 , wherein the fraction of said active agents is present in the gum base during mixing thereof prior to shaping the gum base material into gum base granules.  
     
     
         33 . A chewing gum according to  claim 32 , wherein said fraction amounts to at least 20% by weight of the total contents of active agents in the chewing gum tablet.  
     
     
         34 . A chewing gum according to  claim 33 , wherein said fraction amounts to at least 30% by weight of the total contents of active agents in the chewing gum tablet.  
     
     
         35 . A chewing gum according to  claim 34 , wherein said fraction amounts to at least 40% by weight of the total contents of active agents in the chewing gum tablet.  
     
     
         36 . A chewing gum according to  claim 1 , wherein the chewing gum is layered.  
     
     
         37 . A chewing gum according to  claim 36 , wherein different ingredients are present in the chewing gum in different layers.  
     
     
         38 . A chewing gum according to  claim 36 , wherein at least one of the layers is substantially free of gum base.  
     
     
         39 . A chewing gum according to  claim 36 , wherein one or more agents are present in the chewing gum in only one of the layers.  
     
     
         40 . A chewing gum according to  claim 36 , wherein one or more agents located in the chewing gum in two of the layers are not present in all layers.  
     
     
         41 . A chewing gum according to  claim 36 , wherein two or more agents are present in the chewing gum in different layers.  
     
     
         42 . A chewing gum according to  claim 19 , wherein the chewing gum is coated.  
     
     
         43 . A chewing gum according to  claim 42 , wherein at least one agent selected from a group consisting of fresh-breath agents, anti-gingivitis agents, anti-plaque agents, anti-calculus agents, and re-mineralization agents, is present in the coating.  
     
     
         44 . A chewing gum according to  claim 1 , wherein the chewing gum comprises at least one barrier layer.  
     
     
         45 . A chewing gum according to  claim 1 , wherein the gum base further includes at least one antibacterial agent.  
     
     
         46 . A chewing gum possessing tooth cleaning effects, which chewing gum when chewed on a daily basis as a tooth cleaning agent can replace daily tooth brushing, whereby abrasive cleaning damages on gingiva are avoided, which chewing gum comprises gum base, at least one ingredient selected from the group consisting of whitening agents and fresh-breath agents, and at least two ingredients having at least two of the following effects: anti-plaque effect, anti-gingivitis effect, anti-calculus effect, or re-mineralization effect.  
     
     
         47 . A chewing gum according to  claim 46 , wherein at least 55% of said at least two ingredients is released after 5 minutes chewing when measured according to Ph. Eur. Version 5.0, January 2005, paragraph 2.9.25 (volume 1 page 260).  
     
     
         48 . A chewing gum according to  claim 46 , wherein at least 30% of said at least one ingredient is released after 5 minutes chewing when measured according to Ph. Eur. Version 5.0, January 2005, paragraph 2.9.25 (volume 1 page 260).  
     
     
         49 . A chewing gum according to  claim 46 , wherein the chewing gum comprises one or more taste ingredients selected from the group consisting of sweeteners, high-potent sweeteners and flavors.  
     
     
         50 . A teeth cleaning method, wherein daily teeth cleaning is performed by chewing a chewing gum instead of using a toothbrush.  
     
     
         51 . A teeth cleaning method according to  claim 50 , wherein said chewing gum including at least gum base and at least one fresh-breath agent, at least one anti-gingivitis agent, at least one anti-calculus agent, and at least one re-mineralization agent.  
     
     
         52 . A teeth cleaning method according to  claim 51 , wherein the chewing gum further includes at least one anti-plaque agent.  
     
     
         53 . A teeth cleaning method according to  claim 50  and for round-the-year daily use as a major tooth cleaning agent.  
     
     
         54 . A teeth cleaning method according to  claim 50 , wherein the daily teeth cleaning performed by chewing a chewing gum as a tooth cleaning agent provides 
 a) a whitening effect corresponding to at least 50% of the whitening effect of daily brushing of teeth with a new toothbrush,    b) a fresh-breath effect corresponding to at least 100% of the fresh-breath effect of daily brushing of teeth with a new toothbrush,    c) an anti-plaque effect corresponding to at least 60% of the anti-plaque effect of daily brushing of teeth with a new toothbrush,    d) an anti-gingivitis effect corresponding to at least 65% of the anti-gingivitis effect of daily brushing of teeth with a new toothbrush, and    e) a re-mineralization effect corresponding to at least 65% of the re-mineralization effect of daily brushing of teeth with a new toothbrush.    
     
     
         55 . A teeth cleaning method according to  claim 54 , wherein the daily teeth cleaning performed by chewing a chewing gum as a tooth cleaning agent additionally provides 
 f) an anti-calculus effect corresponding to at least 25% of the anti-calculus effect of daily brushing of teeth with a new toothbrush.    
     
     
         56 . A teeth cleaning method according to  claim 54 , wherein the daily teeth cleaning performed by chewing a chewing gum as a tooth cleaning agent provides a whitening effect corresponding to at least 100% of the whitening effect of daily brushing of teeth with a new toothbrush.  
     
     
         57 . A teeth cleaning method according to  claim 54 , wherein the daily teeth cleaning performed by chewing a chewing gum as a tooth cleaning agent provides a anti-plaque effect corresponding to at least 100% of the anti-plaque effect of daily brushing of teeth with a new toothbrush.  
     
     
         58 . A teeth cleaning method according to  claim 54 , wherein the daily teeth cleaning performed by chewing a chewing gum as a tooth cleaning agent provides a anti-gingivitis effect corresponding to at least 100% of the anti-gingivitis effect of daily brushing of teeth with a new toothbrush.  
     
     
         59 . A teeth cleaning method according to  claim 54 , wherein the daily teeth cleaning performed by chewing a chewing gum as a tooth cleaning agent provides a re-mineralization effect corresponding to at least 85% of the re-mineralization effect of daily brushing of teeth with a new toothbrush.  
     
     
         60 . A teeth cleaning method according to  claim 54 , wherein the daily teeth cleaning performed by chewing a chewing gum as a tooth cleaning agent provides a anti-calculus effect corresponding to at least 85% of the anti-calculus effect of daily brushing of teeth with a new toothbrush.  
     
     
         61 . A teeth cleaning method in which artificial toothbrush means embodied as chewing gum are used several times daily for teeth cleaning by chewing the chewing gum for a period of at least 5 minutes instead of using a traditional mechanically acting toothbrush.  
     
     
         62 . A teeth cleaning method according to  claim 61 , wherein said chewing gum is for round the year daily use as the major tooth cleaning agent.