Oral Care Compositions And Regimens

Abstract

Compositions and methods for improving compliance with a two-part oral care regimen may include the use of a first composition with mildly unpleasant organoleptic properties.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A two-step oral care method for preventing cavities, whitening teeth, removing stains, promoting gum health, and/or germ-fighting in an oral cavity of a user, the method comprising:
 (a) directing the user to apply a dentifrice to the oral cavity for a first period of about one minute, the dentifrice composition comprising:
 (i) a metal salt, the metal salt comprising stannous fluoride, stannous chloride, or combinations thereof; 
 (ii) silica; and 
 (iii) zinc; 
   (b) directing the user to expectorate the dentifrice composition without rinsing the oral cavity;   (c) directing the user to apply a whitening composition to the oral cavity for a second period of about one minute, wherein the whitening composition comprises bleaching agent and is free of abrasive; and   (d) directing the user to expectorate the whitening composition.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the dentifrice composition is free of linear polyphosphate. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the zinc comprises zinc chloride, zinc citrate, zinc lactate, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the dentifrice composition comprises from greater than 0% to less than 2%, by weight of the dentifrice composition, of flavorant. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the dentifrice composition remains in the oral cavity when the user is directed to apply the whitening composition. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the dentifrice composition comprises 15% to 55%, by weight of the dentifrice composition, of humectant. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the humectant comprises glycerin, sorbitol, polyethylene glycol, propylene glycol, xylitol, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the dentifrice composition comprises from 0.1% to 15%, by weight of the dentifrice composition, of thickening material. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the thickening material comprises carboxyvinyl polymers, carrageenan, hydroxyethyl cellulose, sodium carboxymethylcellulose, sodium hydroxyethyl cellulose, gum karaya, xanthan gum, gum arabic, gum tragacanth, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the whitening composition comprises water. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the whitening composition comprises humectant. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the humectant comprises glycerin. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the bleaching agent comprises peroxide, perborate, percarbonate, peroxyacid, persulfate, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the peroxide comprises hydrogen peroxide, urea peroxide, calcium peroxide, sodium peroxide, zinc peroxide, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the peroxide comprises hydrogen peroxide and the metal salt comprises stannous fluoride.