Oral compositions providing optimal surface conditioning

Abstract

The present invention relates to oral composition comprising a polymeric surface active agent wherein the oral composition provides surface conditioning effects on a subject's teeth and/or oral mucosa. The surface conditioning effects include (a) increased hydrophilic character of oral surfaces as measured by a decrease in water contact angles or an increase in anionic surface charge and surface charge density and (b) decreased pellicle film thickness. The present invention also relates to methods of providing surface conditioning effects to a subject's tooth and mucosal surfaces and methods of preventing and controlling tartar and tooth staining by administering to the subject an oral composition comprising a polymeric surface active agent.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An oral composition providing surface conditioning effects on a subject's teeth and mucosal surfaces, said composition comprising a polymeric surface active agent which deposits on said oral surfaces a conditioning film providing (a) increased hydrophilic character as measured by a decrease in water contact angles or an increase in anionic surface charge and surface charge density and (b) decreased pellicle film thickness.  
     
     
         2 . An oral composition according to  claim 1  which provides improved mouth feel aesthetics selected from smooth teeth, clean-feeling teeth, clean mouth feeling and longer lasting clean feeling.  
     
     
         3 . An oral composition according to  claim 1 , wherein said polymeric surface active agent is a polyelectrolyte selected from the group consisting of polyphosphonates; carboxy-substituted polymers; copolymers of phosphate- or phosphonate-containing monomers or polymers with ethylenically unsaturated monomers, amino acids, or with other polymers selected from proteins, polypeptides, polysaccharides, poly(acrylate), poly(acrylamide), poly(methacrylate), poly(ethacrylate), poly(hydroxyalkylmethacrylate), poly(vinyl alcohol), poly(maleic anhydride), poly(maleate) poly(amide), poly(ethylene amine), poly(ethylene glycol), poly(propylene glycol), poly(vinyl acetate) or poly(vinyl benzyl chloride); and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         4 . An oral composition according to  claim 3 , wherein said polymeric surface active agent is a polyphosphonate or a diphosphonate/acrylic copolymer.  
     
     
         5 . An oral composition according to  claim 1  further comprising an effective amount of a stannous ion source, wherein the staining potential of the stannous is reduced.  
     
     
         6 . An oral composition according to  claim 5  comprising from about 3,000 ppm to about 15,000 ppm stannous ions in the total composition.  
     
     
         7 . A method of providing surface conditioning effects to a subject's teeth and mucosal surfaces comprising administering to the subject an oral composition comprising a polymeric surface active agent which deposits on said oral surfaces a conditioning film providing (a) increased hydrophilic character as measured by a decrease in water contact angles or an increase in anionic surface charge and surface charge density and (b) decreased pellicle film thickness.  
     
     
         8 . A method of preventing and controlling tartar and tooth staining in a subject comprising administering to said subject an oral composition according to  claim 1 .  
     
     
         9 . A method of preventing and controlling tartar and tooth staining in a subject comprising administering to said subject an oral composition according to  claim 5.