Toothbrush with multiple brushing surfaces

Abstract

A toothbrush head and a method for brushing teeth. The toothbrush head includes a first brushing portion, and a second brushing portion. A first orientation of the toothbrush head includes the first brushing portion contacting an inside of at least one upper tooth and the second brushing portion contacting an outside of at least one lower tooth. A second orientation of the toothbrush head includes the first brushing portion contacting an inside of at least one lower tooth and the second brushing portion contacting an outside of at least one upper tooth. The method includes steps as follows: a) contacting, with a toothbrush head, an inside of at least one upper tooth concurrently with an outside of at least one lower tooth; and b) contacting, with the toothbrush head, an inside of at least one lower tooth concurrently an outside of at least one upper tooth.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A toothbrush head for brushing an upper tooth and a lower tooth of a subject, the toothbrush head comprising:
 a first brushing portion; and   a second brushing portion, wherein a first orientation of the toothbrush head includes the first brushing portion contacting an inside of at least one upper tooth and the second brushing portion contacting an outside of at least one lower tooth, and a second orientation of the toothbrush head includes the first brushing portion contacting an inside of at least one lower tooth and the second brushing portion contacting an outside of at least one upper tooth.   
     
     
         2 . The toothbrush head of  claim 1 , wherein rotation of the toothbrush head by an acute angle about an axis extending away from the subject results in the toothbrush head moving between the first orientation and the second orientation. 
     
     
         3 . The toothbrush head of  claim 1 , wherein the toothbrush head is capable of moving between the first orientation and the second orientation without translation away from the subject. 
     
     
         4 . The toothbrush head of  claim 1 , further comprising a third brushing portion and a fourth brushing portion, wherein the first and second orientations of the toothbrush head include the third brushing portion contacting a biting surface of the upper tooth and the fourth brushing portion contacting a biting surface of the lower tooth. 
     
     
         5 . The toothbrush head of  claim 1 , wherein the first brushing portion comprises two brushing surfaces. 
     
     
         6 . The toothbrush head of  claim 5 , wherein the second brushing portion comprises two brushing surfaces. 
     
     
         7 . The toothbrush head of  claim 5 , wherein the two brushing surfaces comprise opposite brushing surfaces. 
     
     
         8 . The toothbrush head of  claim 5 , wherein the two brushing surfaces angle inward. 
     
     
         9 . A method for brushing at least one upper tooth and at least one lower tooth of a subject, the method comprising the steps of:
 a) contacting, with a toothbrush head, an inside of the upper tooth concurrently with an outside of at least one lower tooth; and   b) contacting, with the toothbrush head, an inside of at least one lower tooth concurrently an outside of at least one upper tooth.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising at least partially inserting the toothbrush head into a mouth of the subject, wherein the contacting steps a) and b) are performed without removing the toothbrush head from the mouth of the subject. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the contacting steps a) and b) each include contacting, with the toothbrush head, biting surfaces of at least one lower tooth and at least one upper tooth. 
     
     
         12 . A toothbrush for brushing an upper tooth and a lower tooth of a subject, the toothbrush comprising:
 a toothbrush head, the toothbrush head comprising a first brushing portion and a second brushing portion, wherein a first orientation of the toothbrush head includes the first brushing portion contacting an inside of at least one upper tooth and the second brushing portion contacting an outside of at least one lower tooth, and a second orientation of the toothbrush head includes the first brushing portion contacting an inside of at least one lower tooth and the second brushing portion contacting an outside of at least one upper tooth; and   a handle, the handle operably coupled to the toothbrush head to facilitate rotation of the toothbrush head by an acute angle about an axis extending along the handle to move the toothbrush head between the first orientation and the second orientation.   
     
     
         13 . The toothbrush of  claim 12 , wherein the toothbrush head is capable of moving between the first orientation and the second orientation by rotating the handle but not translating the handle away from the subject. 
     
     
         14 . The toothbrush of  claim 12 , further wherein the toothbrush head is sized and configured such that moving between the first orientation and the second orientation may be performed without removing the toothbrush head from the mouth of the subject. 
     
     
         15 . The toothbrush of  claim 12 , wherein the toothbrush head comprises a third brushing portion and a fourth brushing portion, wherein the first and second orientations of the toothbrush head include the third brushing portion contacting a biting surface of at least one upper tooth and the fourth brushing portion contacting a biting surface of at least one lower tooth. 
     
     
         16 . The toothbrush of  claim 12 , wherein the toothbrush head has a dumbbell shape. 
     
     
         17 . The toothbrush of  claim 12 , wherein the first brushing portion comprises two brushing surfaces. 
     
     
         18 . The toothbrush of  claim 15 , wherein the second brushing portion comprises two brushing surfaces. 
     
     
         19 . The toothbrush of  claim 15 , wherein the two brushing surfaces comprise opposite brushing surfaces. 
     
     
         20 . The toothbrush of  claim 15 , wherein the two brushing surfaces angle inward.