Toothpick with floss

Abstract

An oral hygiene device, which is embodied as a toothpick with floss, includes a toothpick body and a floss. The toothpick body has a closed end, an opening end, and a floss cavity formed between the closed end and the opening end, wherein the closed end of the toothpick body forms a tapering end. The floss, having a first end and an opposed second end, is received in the floss cavity of the toothpick body in a hidden manner. The toothpick body is used as a conventional toothpick to effectively remove detritus and plaques from the teeth and is easy to carry. The floss is normally protected within the toothpick body in a hidden manner to keep the floss in a hygiene purpose and is adapted for being pulled out of the floss cavity for flossing.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An oral hygiene device, comprising:
 a toothpick body having a closed end, an opening end, and a floss cavity formed between said closed end and said opening end, wherein said closed end of said toothpick body forms a tapering end; and   a floss, having a first end and an opposed second end, received in said floss cavity of said toothpick body in a hidden manner, wherein said floss is adapted for being pulled out of said floss cavity at said first end thereof; and   a plurality of bristles radially and outwardly extended from at least a portion of to said floss for performing brushing action during flossing.   
     
     
         2 . The oral hygiene device, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said bristles are formed at said portion of the floss close to the said end thereof, such that said bristles are guided for fitting between teeth and around a gum line to perform the brushing and flossing action at the same time so as to remove detritus and/or plaque on the teeth. 
     
     
         3 . The oral hygiene device, as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising means for containing washing solution, wherein said floss and said bristles are coated with said washing solution after said floss is pulled out of said floss cavity. 
     
     
         4 . The oral hygiene device, as recited in  claim 2 , further comprising means for containing washing solution, wherein said floss and said bristles are coated with said washing solution after said floss is pulled out of said floss cavity. 
     
     
         5 . The oral hygiene device, as recited in  claim 3 , wherein said containing means comprises a solution absorber presoaked with said washing solution, wherein said solution absorber is supported within said floss cavity and is arranged in such a manner that when said floss is pulled out from said floss cavity, said floss and said bristles are guided to contact with said solution absorber for enabling said washing solution coating on said floss and said bristles. 
     
     
         6 . The oral hygiene device, as recited in  claim 4 , wherein said containing means comprises a solution absorber presoaked with said washing solution, wherein said solution absorber is supported within said floss cavity and is arranged in such a manner that when said floss is pulled out from said floss cavity, said floss and said bristles are guided to contact with said solution absorber for enabling said washing solution coating on said floss and said bristles. 
     
     
         7 . The oral hygiene device, as recited in  claim 3 , wherein said containing means comprises a handle cap detachably coupled at said opening end of said toothpick body and fixed to said first end of said floss, and a squeezable container integrated with said handle cap for containing said washing solution, when said handle cap is squeezed, said washing solution is released to coat at said floss and said bristles. 
     
     
         8 . The oral hygiene device, as recited in  claim 4 , wherein said containing means comprises a handle cap detachably coupled at said opening end of said toothpick body and fixed to said first end of said floss, and a squeezable container integrated with said handle cap for containing said washing solution, when said handle cap is squeezed, said washing solution is released to coat at said floss and said bristles. 
     
     
         9 . The oral hygiene device, as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a handle cap detachably coupled at said opening end of said toothpick body and fixed to said first end of said floss, wherein said toothpick body further has a retention hole formed between said opening end and said closed end, wherein when said handle cap is detached from said toothpick body, a free end of said handle cap is coupled at said retention hole that said floss runs between said detachable end of said handle cap and said opening end of said toothpick body. 
     
     
         10 . The oral hygiene device, as recited in  claim 6 , further comprising a handle cap detachably coupled at said opening end of said toothpick body and fixed to said first end of said floss, wherein said toothpick body further has a retention hole formed between said opening end and said closed end, wherein when said handle cap is detached from said toothpick body, a free end of said handle cap is coupled at said retention hole that said floss runs between said detachable end of said handle cap and said opening end of said toothpick body. 
     
     
         11 . The oral hygiene device, as recited in  claim 8 , further comprising a handle cap detachably coupled at said opening end of said toothpick body and fixed to said first end of said floss, wherein said toothpick body further has a retention hole formed between said opening end and said closed end, wherein when said handle cap is detached from said toothpick body, a free end of said handle cap is coupled at said retention hole that said floss runs between said detachable end of said handle cap and said opening end of said toothpick body. 
     
     
         12 . The oral hygiene device, as recited in  claim 9 , wherein said handle cap further comprises a stopper provided at said free end thereof to retain said handle cap in position after said free end of said handle cap is inserted into said retention hole of said toothpick body. 
     
     
         13 . The oral hygiene device, as recited in  claim 10 , wherein said handle cap further comprises a stopper provided at said free end thereof to retain said handle cap in position after said free end of said handle cap is inserted into said retention hole of said toothpick body. 
     
     
         14 . The oral hygiene device, as recited in  claim 11 , wherein said handle cap further comprises a stopper provided at said free end thereof to retain said handle cap in position after said free end of said handle cap is inserted into said retention hole of said toothpick body. 
     
     
         15 . The oral hygiene device, as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a guiding arrangement for retracting said floss back to said floss cavity, wherein said guiding arrangement has an elongated guiding slot formed along said toothpick body and comprises a slider member which is slidably coupled along said guiding slot and is coupled with said second end of said floss in such a manner that when said floss is pulled out from said opening end of said toothpick body, said slider member is slid along said guiding slot toward said opening end of said toothpick body, and when said slider member is slid toward said tapering end of said toothpick body, said floss is retracted back to said floss cavity. 
     
     
         16 . The oral hygiene device, as recited in  claim 6 , further comprising a guiding arrangement for retracting said floss back to said floss cavity, wherein said guiding arrangement has an elongated guiding slot formed along said toothpick body and to comprises a slider member which is slidably coupled along said guiding slot and is coupled with said second end of said floss in such a manner that when said floss is pulled out from said opening end of said toothpick body, said slider member is slid along said guiding slot toward said opening end of said toothpick body, and when said slider member is slid toward said tapering end of said toothpick body, said floss is retracted back to said floss cavity. 
     
     
         17 . The oral hygiene device, as recited in  claim 8 , further comprising a guiding arrangement for retracting said floss back to said floss cavity, wherein said guiding arrangement has an elongated guiding slot formed along said toothpick body and comprises a slider member which is slidably coupled along said guiding slot and is coupled with said second end of said floss in such a manner that when said floss is pulled out from said opening end of said toothpick body, said slider member is slid along said guiding slot toward said opening end of said toothpick body, and when said slider member is slid toward said tapering end of said toothpick body, said floss is retracted back to said floss cavity. 
     
     
         18 . The oral hygiene device, as recited in  claim 15 , wherein said slider member has an inner coupling portion positioned within said floss cavity to couple with said second end of said floss and an outer actuation portion extended out of said floss cavity through said guiding slot to slidably control a length of said floss being pulled out at said opening end of said toothpick body. 
     
     
         19 . The oral hygiene device, as recited in  claim 16 , wherein said slider member has an inner coupling portion positioned within said floss cavity to couple with said second end of said floss and an outer actuation portion extended out of said floss cavity through said guiding slot to slidably control a length of said floss being pulled out at said opening end of said toothpick body. 
     
     
         20 . The oral hygiene device, as recited in  claim 17 , wherein said slider member has an inner coupling portion positioned within said floss cavity to couple with said second end of said floss and an outer actuation portion extended out of said floss cavity through said guiding slot to slidably control a length of said floss being pulled out at said opening end of said toothpick body.