Oral Care Composition for Long-Lasting Peroxide Delivery

Abstract

A tooth whitening composition includes a hydrophobic copolymer, a hydrophilic whitening agent and a polar solvent.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for whitening a surface of a tooth comprising contacting the surface of the tooth with a tooth whitening composition for a duration of time sufficient to effect whitening of the surface of the tooth; wherein the tooth whitening composition consists of: a hydrophobic copolymer, a hydrophilic whitening agent and a polar solvent. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrophobic copolymer is a film forming hydrophobic polymer. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the film forming hydrophobic polymer comprises 2-propenoic acid, 2-methyl-, 2-methylpropyl ester, polymer with 2-propenoic acid and N-(1,1,3,3-tetramethylbutyl)-2-propenamide, Acrylates/Dimethylaminoethyl Methacrylate copolymers, or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrophilic whitening agent comprises hydrogen peroxide. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the polar solvent comprises ethanol. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the tooth whitening composition is in the form of a flowable liquid composition. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the tooth whitening composition is in the form of a viscous liquid dispersion. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the tooth whitening composition is in the form of a gel. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrophobic copolymer consists essentially of 2-propenoic acid, 2-methyl-, 2-methylpropyl ester, polymer with 2-propenoic acid and N-(1,1,3,3-tetramethylbutyl)-2-propenamide. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrophobic copolymer is present in an amount of from about 10% to about 20%, by weight. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrophobic copolymer is present in an amount of about 18%, by weight. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrophobic copolymer is present in an amount of about 15%, by weight. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the hydrogen peroxide is present in an amount of from about 0.1% to about 40%, by weight. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the hydrogen peroxide is present in an amount of from about 0.1% to about 30%, by weight. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the hydrogen peroxide is present in an amount of from about 0.1% to about 20%, by weight. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the hydrogen peroxide is present in an amount of about 6% by weight. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the hydrogen peroxide is present in an amount of about 3% by weight. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the tooth whitening composition does not comprise a non-polar solvent. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the tooth whitening composition does not comprise a suspension. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrophobic copolymer comprises a hydrophobic film-forming copolymer comprising functional groups configured to adhere to a tooth surface.