An integrated enhanced grip and toothbrush consisting of an elongated contoured handle portion with an extending toothbrush in its preferred form. The handle has a plurality of finger engagement openings of flexible yieldable material in a linearly aligned spaced opposition providing for a no slip secure finger retainment for individuals with impaired or limited hand motor skills.

An oral care sterilization system in one embodiment includes an oral care implement and sterilization unit. The oral care implement may be a toothbrush including tooth cleaning elements on a head portion and a first coupling member. The sterilization unit includes a housing and second coupling member that mutually engages the first coupling member to secure the toothbrush to the sterilization unit. Magnetic coupling may be used in one embodiment. The toothbrush may be mounted in a suspended manner from the sterilization unit. A sterilization element such as an ultraviolet light source disposed in the housing irradiates at least the toothbrush head portion to destroy bacterial contamination. In one aspect, the toothbrush and housing each include complementary thematic features sharing a common motif. The motif is of a nature to make brushing and care of the toothbrush more interesting for younger users.

An oral care implement comprises a head portion and handle portion comprising resiliently folding appendages. The appendages extend laterally outwards from a central body of the handle portion in opposite directions. In one embodiment, the appendages may each have annular loop structures with recurvant ends coupled to the body. The head portion comprises tooth cleaning elements such as bristles. The head portion, handle portion, and bristles may be a monolithic construction of a resiliently deformable material with elastic memory. The bristles may be especially pliable and adapted for infant or toddler use. The appendages have an undeformed width preventing the young child from over-insertion into the oral cavity when at maximum span. The appendages may be folded against the body for deeper insertion into the oral cavity by an adult. The implement is configured to prevent the head portion and tooth bristles from contacting a flat surface when placed thereon.

An apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes an animal form and a hairbrush member. The animal form includes an outer material. The animal form also includes a body portion formed in the outer material. The animal form also includes a head portion formed in the outer material and coupled to the body portion. The hairbrush member is coupled to the animal form. The hairbrush member includes a support member and a plurality of brushing members coupled to the support member. The animal form is coupled to the hairbrush member.

An illustration unit is disclosed for use by people who have less than optimal gripping capability. The handle of the illustration unit has a diameter sufficient to allow the user's pinky, ring, and middle fingers to come near to or in contact with the thenar while preventing a user's pinky, ring and middle fingers from contacting a user's proximal or distal palmar. Preferably, the handle is configured to enable a user to contact a surface approximately parallel to the user's body with a marking element. Either the handle or connector can be arcuate, having an interior surface and an exterior surface. At least one connector is dimensioned to be received in the receiving area and the second end to receive a marking element.

Toothbrush assemblies have a structural component and a cushioning component disposed about a portion of the structural component. The structural component has a distal head element, an elongated spacing element extending from the head element, and a body portion connected to the spacing element opposite the head element. The cushioning component causes the structural component to resist movement in the posterior direction to a larger degree than the structural component resists movement in the anterior direction. Accordingly, an axial force applied to the head element in the direction of the spacing element causes the spacing element to move in the anterior direction. Thus, the toothbrush assembly can be safe for toddlers to use as they can be less likely to impale the toddler's throat tissue and/or puncture a vital artery.

Toothbrush assemblies have a structural component and a cushioning component disposed about a portion of the structural component. The structural component has a distal head element, an elongated spacing element extending from the head element, and a body portion connected to the spacing element opposite the head element. The cushioning component causes the structural component to resist movement in the posterior direction to a larger degree than the structural component resists movement in the anterior direction. Accordingly, an axial force applied to the head element in the direction of the spacing element causes the spacing element to move in the anterior direction. Thus, the toothbrush assembly can be safe for toddlers to use as they can be less likely to impale the toddler's throat tissue and/or puncture a vital artery.

A handle for a personal-care implement has a longitudinal extension extending between a distal end and a proximal end opposite to the distal end. The handle has an outer lateral surface with a three-dimensional surface structure, wherein the surface structure comprises at least two continuous wave bands with alternating convex and concave curvatures forming wave crests and wave troughs, respectively, the wave bands extending along the longitudinal extension of the handle.