Method and apparatus for tooth whitening

Abstract

Preconditioning mouth rinse, which pre-treats the teeth to better receive a whitening formula containing a photosensitive compound, and a hand-held consumer light source for tooth whitening, which provides rapid tooth whitening, are disclosed. The light source may use a specific range of visible light and also emit heat sufficient to raise the temperature of the teeth a desired amount at a depth up to about 2 mm in the range of about from 1-5° Celsius over a predetermined period of time. The specified wavelengths of the hand-held consumer operable light will activate the photosensitive substance in the whitening formula. The oxidizing compounds may be transparent to light enabling light energy to activate the oxidizing compounds directly on the tooth surface, or to activate a photosensitizing or photosensitive compound added to produce the desired temperature increase.

1 . A tooth whitening system, comprising: 
 a) a portable, self-contained, hand-held light source;    b) the hand-held light source including: 
 i) a housing;  
 ii) the housing including a handle configured for being manipulated by a user;  
 iii) a head;  
 iv) a lens provided on the head of the housing at a distance from the handle;  
 v) a self-contained light element provided in the housing and located for emitting light through the lens, the light element, in use, emitting light of a wavelength suitable for activating a light-activated tooth whitener, in use, when a tooth whitener is provided on a user's teeth; and  
 vi) a power source provided in the housing, the power source being electrically connected with the light element; and  
   c) the head of the housing being disposed relative to the handle at a predetermined angle so that, in use, a user may direct light emitted by the light element at the user's own teeth;    
   
   
       2 . A tooth whitening system as in  claim 1 , wherein: 
 a) the handle extends at an angle of about 45°-135° relative to a direction of extension of the head of the housing.    
   
   
       3 . A tooth whitening system as in  claim 1 , wherein: 
 a) the light element includes a halogen light.    
   
   
       4 . A tooth whitening system as in  claim 1 , wherein: 
 a) the light element includes a tungsten light.    
   
   
       5 . A tooth whitening system as in  claim 1 , wherein: 
 a) the light element includes a xenon light.    
   
   
       6 . A tooth whitening system as in  claim 1 , wherein: 
 a) a switch is provided, the switch being electrically connected with the power element for switching the light element on and off.    
   
   
       7 . A tooth whitening method, comprising: 
 a) providing a portable, self-contained, hand-held light source the hand-held light source including: 
 i) a housing;  
 ii) the housing including a handle configured for being manipulated by a user;  
 iii) a self-contained light element provided in the housing and located for emitting light of a wavelength suitable for activating a light-activated tooth whitener, in use, when a tooth whitener is provided on a user's teeth;  
 iv) a power source provided in the housing, the power source being electrically connected with the light element; and  
 v) the light element being disposed relative to the handle for emitting light at a predetermined angle so that, in use, a user may direct light emitted by the light element at the user's own teeth; and  
   b) providing a tooth whitener on a user's teeth.    
   
   
       8 . A tooth whitening method as in  claim 7 , wherein: 
 a) the light element includes a halogen light.    
   
   
       9 . A tooth whitening method as in  claim 7 , wherein: 
 a) a mouth rinse is provided, the mouth rinse being selected for preconditioning a user's teeth for receiving a whitening compound.    
   
   
       10 . A tooth whitening method as in  claim 7 , wherein: 
 a) the tooth whitener includes a light-activated tooth whitener provided on a user's teeth.    
   
   
       11 . A tooth whitening method as in  claim 7 , wherein: 
 a) the tooth whitener includes a heat-activated tooth whitener provided on a user's teeth.    
   
   
       12 . A tooth whitening method as in  claim 7 , wherein: 
 a) a preconditioning rinse is provided, the preconditioning rinse being formulated to pretreat the environment of the user's teeth to be in a pH range of about 7.9-9.0.    
   
   
       13 . A tooth whitening method as in  claim 7 , wherein: 
 a) a blue light filter which filters out undesirable wavelengths of light is provided, the blue light filter thus enabling a blue wavelength to be emitted to penetrate the tooth.    
   
   
       14 . A tooth whitening method as in  claim 12 , wherein: 
 a) the preconditioning rinse is formulated to kill bacteria which produce peroxidase enzymes.    
   
   
       15 . A tooth whitening method as in  claim 9 , wherein: 
 a) the mouth rinse includes a mouth rinse having a formula:                                                Ingredient   Concentration                                           NP-9, ethoxylated   0.65   mls         nonyphenol, 9 molar         EO.         Peppermint Oil   1.4   mls         Nutrasweet ®   0.75   grams         Granular 100         Glycerin 99.5%   30   mls         Kosher food grade         Sodium Bicarbonate   2   grams         food grade         Sodium Carbonate   0.1   grams         food grade         Benzethonium   0.15   grams         Chloride                       Purified Water   Balance to 1             gallon             (i.e., 3.785             liter)                           Ethanol 75% or   ˜10   mls         greater                                                                                  
   
   
       16 . A tooth whitening method as in  claim 7 , wherein: 
 a) the tooth whitener includes a tooth whitener having a formula:                                                        % by             COMPOUND   Weight   RANGE %                                           Ethyl Alcohol   73.75             Hydrogenated Ester of   13.87   0.001-35.00         Rosin         Urea (Carbamide)   11.10   0.001-25.00         Hydrogen Peroxide         Hydroxypropylcellulose   0.55   0.001-10.00         1500 cps         Flavoring- Menthol   0.22   0.001-15.00         Flavoring- Peppermint   0.20   0.001-15.00         Oil         Zinc Oxide (micro   0.15   0.001-5.00          particles)         Flavoring- Aspartame   0.15   0.001-5.00