Oral Care Compositions and Methods for Increasing Stability of the Same

Abstract

Anhydrous oral care compositions and methods for preventing phase separation in the anhydrous oral care composition are disclosed. The oral care composition may include an orally acceptable vehicle, a thickening system, and a whitening agent. The orally acceptable vehicle may include propylene glycol, and the thickening system may include a polymeric thickener. The polymeric thickener may be or include a copolymer of 2-acrylamidomethylpropanesulphonic acid or a salt thereof.

1 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the oral care composition comprises:
 an orally acceptable vehicle, the orally acceptable vehicle comprising propylene glycol;   a thickening system, the thickening system comprising a polymeric thickener, wherein the polymeric thickener is a copolymer of 2-acrylamidomethylpropanesulphonic acid or a salt thereof; and   a whitening agent.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the polymeric thickener is a block copolymer. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the polymeric thickener comprises a block copolymer of a first monomer and a second monomer,
 wherein the first monomer comprises the 2-acrylamidomethylpropanesulphonic acid or a salt thereof, and   wherein the second monomer comprises a vinyl monomer having a nitrogenous side chain.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the vinyl monomer is at least one of a methacrylic acid, a methacrylate, a methacrylamide, a methacrylate salt, and a vinyl pyrrolidone. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the first monomer is an ammonium salt of 2-acrylamidomethylpropanesulphonic acid. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the second monomer comprises a vinyl monomer having an amide functional group. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the second monomer is N-vinylpyrrolidone. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the polymeric thickener comprises a copolymer of an ammonium salt of 2-acrylamidomethylpropanesulphonic acid and a N-vinylpyrrolidone. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the thickening system consists of a copolymer of an ammonium salt of 2-acrylamidomethylpropanesulphonic acid and a N-vinylpyrrolidone. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the polymeric thickener is present in an amount of from about 0.1 wt. % to about 1 wt. %, of the anhydrous oral care composition. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the polymeric thickener is present in an amount of from about 0.25 wt. % to about 0.75 wt. %, optionally 0.4 wt. % or 0.55 wt. %, of the anhydrous oral care composition. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the anhydrous oral care composition is substantially free of fluoride, and optionally fluoride free. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the anhydrous oral care composition does not comprise fumed silica and/or cross-linked polyvinylpyrrolidone. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the oral care composition comprises less than 5.0 weight % water, preferably less than 1.0 weight % water, and more preferably less than 0.1 weight % water. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the whitening agent comprises a cross-linked polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) hydrogen peroxide complex. 
     
     
         16 . A method for preventing phase separation in an anhydrous oral care composition, comprising:
 contacting an orally acceptable vehicle comprising propylene glycol and a whitening agent with one another to form the oral care composition; and   contacting the anhydrous oral care composition with a polymeric thickener.   
     
     
         17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the oral care composition, comprises:
 an orally acceptable vehicle;   a thickening system, the thickening system comprising polyacrylate crosspolymer-6; and   a peroxide whitening agent.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the peroxide whitening agent is hydrogen peroxide. 
     
     
         20 . The oral care composition of  claim 18 , wherein the peroxide whitening agent is a source of hydrogen peroxide in an amount that provides a concentration of hydrogen peroxide of less than or equal to 4 weight %.