Children's tooth and gum cleaning kit

Abstract

The present invention provides a cohesive progression of various sizes and shapes and styles of tooth and gum cleaning devices which are ideally suited to each stage of a child's physical and psychological development, and which maintain elements of familiarity to the child from stage to stage to make the progression less dramatic and less stressful to the child and to the caregiver. Several aspects of this invention have also been applied to tooth and gum cleaning devices for older children and adults and to powered toothbrush designs.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A kit containing a series of two or more tooth and gum cleaning devices with various shaped cleaning tips which provide oral cleaning of infants and toddlers and which maintain elements of familiarity from stage to stage.  
     
     
         2 . The kit of  claim 1  which uses a series of cleaning tips which progress in size from smaller to larger.  
     
     
         3 . The kit of  claim 1  which uses a series of cleaning tips with multi directional protrusions and progressively more brush-like shapes.  
     
     
         4 . The kit of  claim 1  having cleaning tips which are characterized by a 360 degree radially outward omni-directional cleaning surface shape.  
     
     
         5 . The kit of  claim 1  having cleaning tips having a generally oval or elliptical or oblong shape when viewed from the top end.  
     
     
         6 . The kit of  claim 1  having cleaning tips having a partially or completely tapered shape toward the top end when viewed from the front and/or side.  
     
     
         7 . The kit of  claim 1  having cleaning tips made of a resilient material such as foam.  
     
     
         8 . The kit of  claim 7  in which at least one of the cleaning tips has generally planar surface or surfaces.  
     
     
         9 . The kit of  claim 7  in which at least one of the cleaning tips has raised ridges.  
     
     
         10 . The kit of  claim 7  in which at least one of the cleaning tips has raised, generally cylindrical, conical, or flat sided, simulated bristles.  
     
     
         11 . The kit of  claim 1  in which at least one of the cleaning tips has elliptical or oblong shape when viewed from the top end.  
     
     
         12 . The kit of  claim 1  in which at least one of the cleaning tips has inner and/or outer surfaces having a partially or completely tapered shape toward the top end when viewed from the front and/or side.  
     
     
         13 . The kit of  claim 1  in which at least one cleaning tip has a hole in the end of the tip which would allow the child to breathe through.  
     
     
         14 . The kit of  claim 1  with cleaning tips which progress from stage to stage with different colors.  
     
     
         15 . The kit of  claim 1  in which at least one of the cleaning tips is permanently attached to a handle.  
     
     
         16 . The kit of  claim 15  in which the handle is oval or elliptical or oblong when viewed from the top or bottom.  
     
     
         17 . The kit of  claim 16  in which the handle is generally smaller in cross section in the middle and larger in cross section toward the top and bottom of the hand held portion.  
     
     
         18 . The kit of  claim 1  further comprising a universal handle which provides a secure attachment for replaceable cleaning tips.  
     
     
         19 . The kit of  claim 18  in which the universal handle has a generally elliptical or oval or oblong shape when viewed from the top or bottom.  
     
     
         20 . The kit of  claim 18  in which the universal handle has a generally smaller cross section in the middle and increasingly larger cross section toward the top and bottom.  
     
     
         21 . The kit of  claim 18  in which the universal handle has a securing mechanism which is unlocked with a cam mechanism by pushing a rod from the bottom of the handle.  
     
     
         22 . The kit of  claim 18  in which the universal handle has a deformable button which allows the rod to be pushed axially by an adult and which has enough elastic force to return the rod and securing means to the locked position.  
     
     
         23 . The kit of  claim 18  in which the universal handle has an unrestricted air passage which is similar in total cross section to the air passage in the top end of the replaceable tips.  
     
     
         24 . A handle for a child's tooth and gum cleaning device which is filled or partially filled with a fluid or combination of fluids that turn different colors or change phase or appearance during prolonged and/or rigorous agitation.  
     
     
         25 . A handle for a child's tooth and gum cleaning device which is filled or partially filled with a foaming fluid or two or more non-emulsifying fluids of different colors and densities which mix together during prolonged and/or rigorous agitation and separate again when agitation stops.  
     
     
         26 . The handle of  claim 24  with one or more agitator objects to increase mixing efficiency.  
     
     
         27 . The kit of  claim 18  in which the handle has a securing mechanism which requires the cleaning tip to be inserted and removed at an angle to the longitudinal center axis of the handle.  
     
     
         28 . A manufacturing method whereby non-round final shapes are created by deformably securing flexible shapes onto a mandrel which spins around a center during material removal.  
     
     
         29 . The kit of  claim 1  in which one or more cleaning tips have a portion which fits over the caregiver's finger.  
     
     
         30 . The cleaning tip of  claim 29  which has an integrated flexible safety loop which fits over a different finger or fingers of the caregiver.  
     
     
         31 . A toothbrush for older children and adults with a radially outward 360 degree bristle pattern having conventional bristles, with an inner surface shape and/or outer bristle shape which is at least partially non-round when viewed from the top.  
     
     
         32 . A toothbrush for older children and adults with a radially outward 360 degree bristle shape having conventional bristles with an inner surface shape and/or outer bristle shape which is at least partially tapered when viewed from the front or side.  
     
     
         33 . A toothbrush for older children and adults with radially arrayed bristles in a helical pattern.  
     
     
         34 . A powered toothbrush with omni-directional bristles which rotate around the longitudinal axis of the handle at a variable or constant or intermittent speed in either direction and/or which vibrate or reciprocate in the longitudinal direction.  
     
     
         35 . The powered toothbrush of  claim 34  which changes rotational direction and/or speed and/or pattern or reciprocating amplitude or frequency in response to rotational and/or axial acceleration of the toothbrush caused by the user.  
     
     
         36 . The invention of  claim 34  which rotates the head away from the gums for a number of degrees and then counter rotates the head for a lesser number of degrees.  
     
     
         37 . A tooth and gum cleaning device or package having a graphic or grip pattern characterized by two or more randomly placed generally circular, elliptical or oblong shapes of various sizes connected by substantially straight lines.