A tooth brush device having bristle touch-points composed of a polymer material (e.g., silicone) provides improved biofilm removal from teeth. The tooth brush device comprises a head with an apex, a base opposite the apex, a front surface, and a back surface opposite the front surface. The front surface of the head includes bristle touch-points arranged along rows. The rows are arranged orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the head extending from the apex of the head to the base of the head. Each of a plurality of the bristle touch-points is a single solid elongate structure extending from the head and is composed of a polymer material. The device further includes a neck coupled to the base of the head and a handle coupled to the head via the neck.

The concept of this invention is an accessory designed for placement beneath the handle of Electric toothbrushes resting on the charging caddy. The Caddy Cover would consist of a water absorbent material containing a circular opening within its center for placement atop the pedestal. This oral care disposable product could be produced in a wide array of colors and can be available in sizes designed for placement upon various styles of electric toothbrushes. The Caddy Cover could be produced easily using conventional and readily available materials and manufacturing processes. No new production technology would be required.

A teeth cleaning travel kit includes toothbrushing mouthpiece that has two inverted channels dimensioned to receive upper and lower bites of dental arches of a user, the channels being integral with one another. Teeth-cleaning bristles inwardly project within the two inverted channels to bear inwardly against teeth and gums of the user, wherein the channels and teeth-cleaning bristles are configured such that mastication produces relative brushing movement of the teeth-cleaning bristles over the teeth and gums. An oral hygiene promoting product is attached to one of the two inverted channels and the teeth-cleaning bristles that is released by action of the user's mouth. The teeth cleaning travel kit also includes a vessel that contains a rinsing fluid and kit packaging that contains the toothbrushing mouthpiece and vessel.

A teeth cleaning travel kit includes toothbrushing mouthpiece that has two inverted channels dimensioned to receive upper and lower bites of dental arches of a user, the channels being integral with one another. Teeth-cleaning bristles inwardly project within the two inverted channels to bear inwardly against teeth and gums of the user, wherein the channels and teeth-cleaning bristles are configured such that mastication produces relative brushing movement of the teeth-cleaning bristles over the teeth and gums. An oral hygiene promoting product is attached to one of the two inverted channels and the teeth-cleaning bristles that is released by action of the user's mouth. The teeth cleaning travel kit also includes a vessel that contains a rinsing fluid and kit packaging that contains the toothbrushing mouthpiece and vessel.

A method (400) for calibrating a gyroscope (28) of an oral care device (10) includes the steps of: scheduling (420) a data acquisition scheme comprising a plurality of time points; obtaining (430) sensor data by the gyroscope at each of the plurality of time points; determining (440) whether the oral care device was experiencing motion at any of the plurality of time points and, if so, discarding those time points from further analysis; determining (450) a calibration model using the obtained sensor data; generating (460), based on the obtained sensor data and the determined calibration model, one or more parameters describing a behavior of the gyroscope; and calibrating (470), using the one or more parameters, gyroscope data obtained during a cleaning session.

The present disclosure relates to a system (60) for monitoring a state of well-being of an individual, the system (60) comprising a remotely operating sensing unit (30) comprising at least one image sensor (32, 34) arranged to remotely monitor a skin portion of a user, a close-up sensing unit (56) provided at a hand-held personal care appliance (40), the close-up sensing unit (56) being arranged to monitor a physiological signal of the user, wherein the monitoring of the physiological signal is temporally aligned with the remote monitoring of the skin portion of the user, and a control unit (70) arranged to process first sensor data provided by the remotely operating sensing unit (30) and second sensor data provided by the close-up sensing unit (56), wherein the control unit (70) is arranged to process, based on the processed first sensor data and second sensor data, at least one well-being parameter, and wherein the control unit (70) is arranged to provide, based on the at least one processed parameter, well-being information that is indicative of a current stress level of the user. The disclosure further relates to a corresponding method of monitoring a state of well-being of an individual.

An injection-molding process and an apparatus for making a multi-component hollow article, and the article made thereby. The process comprises molding, from a first plastic material, a hollow body having a wall with at least one vent therethrough and at least one flap molded in an area adjacent to the vent. The flap is molded in a first position in which the vent is open. The flap is hingedly movable from the first position to a second position in which the vent is closed by the flap. After the flap is folded into the second position, the hollow body, including the folded flap, is at least partially overmolded with a second plastic material, wherein the second material is essentially precluded from leaking into the hollow body through the vent. The apparatus comprises a first mold bar for molding a hollow body, a second mold bar for overmolding the hollow body with a second plastic material, and a closing tool for moving, and optionally retaining, the flap in the second position. The resulting article has no second material inside its hollow body.

An injection-molding process and an apparatus for making a multi-component hollow article, and the article made thereby. The process comprises molding, from a first plastic material, a hollow body having a wall with at least one vent therethrough and at least one flap molded in an area adjacent to the vent. The flap is molded in a first position in which the vent is open. The flap is hingedly movable from the first position to a second position in which the vent is closed by the flap. After the flap is folded into the second position, the hollow body, including the folded flap, is at least partially overmolded with a second plastic material, wherein the second material is essentially precluded from leaking into the hollow body through the vent. The apparatus comprises a first mold bar for molding a hollow body, a second mold bar for overmolding the hollow body with a second plastic material, and a closing tool for moving, and optionally retaining, the flap in the second position. The resulting article has no second material inside its hollow body.

Apparatus and methods for endodontic treatment of teeth provide effective cleaning of organic material (such as pulp and diseased tissue) from the root canal system. In an embodiment, a compressor system generates high pressure liquid (e.g., water) that flows through an orifice to produce a high-velocity collimated jet of liquid. The high-velocity jet is directed toward a surface of a tooth, for example, an exposed dentinal surface, and impingement of the jet onto the surface generates an acoustic wave that propagates throughout the tooth. The acoustic wave effectively detaches organic material from dentinal surfaces and tubules. The detached organic material is flushed from the root canal system by the liquid jet and/or by additional irrigation.

Apparatus and methods for endodontic treatment of teeth provide effective cleaning of organic material (such as pulp and diseased tissue) from the root canal system. In an embodiment, a compressor system generates high pressure liquid (e.g., water) that flows through an orifice to produce a high-velocity collimated jet of liquid. The high-velocity jet is directed toward a surface of a tooth, for example, an exposed dentinal surface, and impingement of the jet onto the surface generates an acoustic wave that propagates throughout the tooth. The acoustic wave effectively detaches organic material from dentinal surfaces and tubules. The detached organic material is flushed from the root canal system by the liquid jet and/or by additional irrigation.