Flavored tooth conditioning compositions and methods

Abstract

Compositions for conditioning a tooth surface prior to the application of a dental materials which will desirably form a substantially permanent bond with the conditioned tooth surface are provided, wherein the conditioning compositions contains a flavorant such as a water-based flavorant, an oil-based flavorant, a solid (e.g., powder) flavorant, or a non-oil-based flavorant, as well as methods of using the conditioning composition to prepare a tooth surface, e.g., for the application of a free-radically polymerizable dental material.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A dental conditioning composition comprising an acidic conditioning composition and added flavorant to improve flavor or aroma of the conditioning composition.  
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the flavorant is selected from the group consisting of 
 a water-based flavorant,  
 an aliphatic organic hydroxy compound-based flavorant, and  
 a dry flavorant.  
 
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the flavorant is selected from the group consisting of an essential oil-based flavorant, a propylene glycol-based flavorant, a glycerol-based flavorant, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 1  comprising an acid selected from the group consisting of phosphoric acid, poly(acrylic) acid, citric acid, maleic acid, and combinations of these.  
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 1  comprising phosphoric acid.  
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the flavorant is selected from the group consisting of a water-based flavorant, an ethyl alcohol-based flavorant, a dry flavorant, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the flavorant comprises 
 from about 70 to about 99.9 parts by weight liquid carrier selected from the group consisting of an essential oil, water, ethyl alcohol, glycerin, propylene glycol, and mixtures thereof, and  
 from about 0.1 to about 30 parts by weight flavoring agent.  
 
     
     
         8 . The conditioning composition of  claim 1  wherein the flavorant includes a liquid carrier consisting essentially of water, ethyl alcohol, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         9 . The conditioning composition of  claim 1  wherein the flavorant includes a liquid carrier consisting essentially of propylene glycol.  
     
     
         10 . The conditioning composition of  claim 1  wherein the flavorant includes a liquid carrier consisting essentially of glycerin.  
     
     
         11 . The conditioning composition of  claim 1  wherein the flavorant includes a liquid carrier consisting essentially of water, glycerol, or a mixture of water and glycerol.  
     
     
         12 . The conditioning composition of  claim 1  wherein the flavorant includes a liquid carrier consisting essentially of propylene glycol, ethanol, a mixture of propylene glycol and ethanol.  
     
     
         13 . The conditioning composition of  claim 1  wherein the flavorant includes a liquid carrier consisting essentially of a mixture of water, alcohol, and glycerin.  
     
     
         14 . The conditioning composition of  claim 1  wherein the flavorant includes a liquid carrier consisting essentially of a mixture of propylene glycol and ethanol.  
     
     
         15 . The conditioning composition of  claim 1  wherein the flavorant consists essentially of a propylene glycol carrier and flavoring agent.  
     
     
         16 . The conditioning composition of  claim 1  wherein the flavorant includes a liquid carrier comprising an alcohol.  
     
     
         17 . The conditioning composition of  claim 1  wherein the flavorant includes a liquid carrier comprising an aliphatic organic hydroxy compound.  
     
     
         18 . The conditioning composition of  claim 17  wherein the compound is selected from the group consisting of glycerol and propylene glycol.  
     
     
         19 . The composition of  claim 1  comprising dry flavorant.  
     
     
         20 . The conditioning composition of  claim 1  wherein the flavorant comprises a natural flavoring agent containing less than 5 weight percent essential oil.  
     
     
         21 . A dental conditioning compositions comprising 
 an acid selected from the group consisting of phosphoric acid, poly(acrylic) acid, citric acid, maleic acid, or combinations of these, and    added flavoring agent comprising 
 from about 70 to about 99.9 parts by weight liquid carrier selected from the groups consisting of water, ethanol, glycerol, propylene glycol, and mixtures thereof and  
 from about 0.1 to about 30 parts by weight flavoring agent.  
   
     
     
         22 . The composition of  claim 21  wherein the liquid carrier is selected from the group consisting of water and ethyl alcohol.  
     
     
         23 . A conditioning composition for use in dentistry to condition a tooth surface prior to application of a polymerizable dental material, wherein the conditioning composition comprises 
 an aqueous etching acid, and    dry flavorant.    
     
     
         24 . The composition of  claim 23  wherein the dry flavorant comprises dry soft drink mix comprising acid and artificial flavoring agent.  
     
     
         25 . The composition of  claim 24  wherein the acid is selected from the group consisting of citric acid, fumaric acid, ascorbic acid, and a combination thereof.  
     
     
         26 . The composition of  claim 24  wherein the artificial flavoring agent is selected from the group consisting of lemonade, cherry, grape, tropical punch, kiwi, watermelon, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         27 . A dental conditioning composition comprising added water-based flavorant.  
     
     
         28 . A dental conditioning composition comprising aliphatic organic hydroxy compound-based flavorant.  
     
     
         29 . A dental conditioning composition comprising phosphoric acid and flavorant to improve flavor or aroma of the conditioning composition.  
     
     
         30 . A method for treating a tooth by forming a substantially permanent bond between the tooth and a free radically polymerizable dental material comprising: 
 conditioning a tooth using a conditioning composition comprising an acidic conditioning composition and added flavorant to improve flavor or aroma of the conditioning composition,    applying the free radically polymerizable dental material to the etched tooth surface; and    causing the free radically polymerizable dental material to harden.    
     
     
         31 . A method of preparing a dental conditioning composition, the method comprising 
 providing a conditioning composition comprising an acid, and    combining the conditioning composition with flavorant to improve flavor or aroma of the conditioning composition.