Teeth flossing apparatus employing an array of water jets

Abstract

A water jet head with a plurality of water jets arrayed over a head teeth side opposite a smooth head cheek side that comfortably slides along a user's cheek when in use. An array of bristly clusters as in a brush may be interspersed among the plurality of water jets. A quick release head connector connects to a wand with wand quick release connector cooperating with the head connector. The wand on a distal end of a flexible hose connects to a water source, preferably a showerhead, at its proximal end.

1 . A water jet head configured for connection to a dental hygiene device that employs a water jet for flossing teeth, comprising 
 a body sized to fit between a user's cheek and teeth and having a cavity and a plurality of small holes in the body each in fluid communication with the cavity providing fluid egress from the cavity as nozzles, the nozzles directed in a generally same direction,    a connector on the body with a body bore between the cavity and the connector, the connector attachable to a flexible hose that provides fluid communication between the connector and a pressurized water source.    
   
   
       2 . The water jet head of  claim 1  further comprising a neck between the body and the connector separating the connector from the body such that the connector remains outside the user's mouth when in use.  
   
   
       3 . The water jet head of  claim 1  wherein the body comprises a smooth cheek side opposite a teeth side, the nozzles being on the teeth side directed toward the teeth when the water jet head is in use.  
   
   
       4 . The water jet head of  claim 3  wherein the teeth side is generally planar.  
   
   
       5 . The water jet head of  claim 4  wherein the nozzles are configured in an orthogonal array.  
   
   
       6 . The water jet head of  claim 5  wherein the nozzles are directed orthogonal to the teeth side.  
   
   
       7 . The water jet head of  claim 5  wherein at least a portion of the nozzles are directed other than orthogonal to the teeth side.  
   
   
       8 . The water jet head of  claim 7  wherein at least a portion of the nozzles are directed in divergent directions.  
   
   
       9 . The water jet head of  claim 1  wherein the cavity is larger than the holes.  
   
   
       10 . The water jet head of  claim 3  wherein the body teeth side has a breadth and a length and the body has a thickness thin between the cheek side and the teeth side to be accommodated comfortably between the user's cheek and teeth, being no more than half of the breadth of the body.  
   
   
       11 . The water jet head of  claim 12  wherein said body thickness is approximately 0.3-inch.  
   
   
       12 . The water jet head of  claim 1  wherein said cavity is wider than the body bore.  
   
   
       13 . The water jet head of  claim 1  wherein said body includes a center row of holes, and left and right rows of holes parallel with the center row of holes.  
   
   
       14 . The waterjet head of  claim 14  wherein the center row of holes is coaxial with the body bore and at least one of the left and right rows of holes is wide of the body bore.  
   
   
       15 . The waterjet head of  claim 14  wherein the body comprises a smooth cheek side opposite a teeth side, the nozzles being on the teeth side directed toward the teeth when the water jet head is in use and wherein the cavity is wider of the body bore on each cavity side such that said left and right rows of holes orthogonal to the teeth side intersect the cavity orthogonal to the teeth side.  
   
   
       16 . The water jet of  claim 1  wherein the connector is adapted for quick attachment and release of the water jet head to the flexible hose.  
   
   
       17 . An apparatus for flossing teeth including a flexible hose, a diverter attached to a household water line for diverting water to the flexible hose attached thereto on a flexible hose proximal end, and a wand connected to a hose distal end at a wand proximal end and including a valve regulating water flow through the wand, the improvement comprising a water jet head releasably connectable to the wand distal end through a neck extending the water jet head from the wand distal end, water jet head having a body with a smooth cheek side opposite a teeth side and a thickness thin between the cheek side and the teeth side, sized to fit comfortably between a user's cheek and teeth and having a cavity and a plurality of small holes in the body each in fluid communication with the cavity providing fluid egress from the cavity from the teeth side as a plurality of nozzles.  
   
   
       18 . The apparatus of  claim 17  wherein.  
   
   
       19 . A water jet head configured for connection to a dental hygiene device that employs a water jet for flossing teeth, comprising 
 a body sized to fit between a user's cheek and teeth and having a cavity and a plurality of small holes in the body each in fluid communication with the cavity providing fluid egress from the cavity as nozzles, the nozzles directed in a generally same direction,    a plurality of bristle clusters interspersed among the plurality of small holes and extending from the head as a brush,    a connector on the body with a body bore between the cavity and the connector, the connector attachable to a flexible hose that provides fluid communication between the connector and a pressurized water source.    
   
   
       20 . The water jet head of  claim 19  wherein the body comprises a smooth cheek side opposite a teeth side, the nozzles and the clusters of bristles being on the teeth side directed toward the teeth when the water jet head is in use.