Animal toothbrush

Abstract

An animal toothbrush for brushing an animal's teeth without requiring the external application of a tooth cleaning substance to the toothbrush includes an elongate handle with a head mounted to a first end of the elongate handle. The head is impregnated with a tooth cleaning substance and has protrusions which facilitate abrading the animal's teeth. A method of using the animal toothbrush is also disclosed.

I claim: 
     
         1 . An animal toothbrush comprising:
 an elongate handle having a first end and a second end, the elongate handle having a front face and a back face which extend from the first end to the second end, the elongate handle having a pair of lateral faces extending from the first end to the second end and from the front face to the back face;   a head mounted to the first end of the elongate handle, the head having a size and being configured for fitting within a mouth of an animal; and   a tooth cleaning substance impregnated into the head.   
     
     
         2 . The toothbrush of  claim 1 , wherein the head comprises a forward face and a plurality of forward protrusions, the plurality of forward protrusions being coupled to and extending away from the forward face. 
     
     
         3 . The toothbrush of  claim 2 , wherein the head has a backward face and a plurality of backward protrusions, the plurality of backward protrusions being coupled to and extending away from the backward face. 
     
     
         4 . The toothbrush of  claim 1 , wherein the elongate handle has a width between the lateral faces which is greater than a depth between the front and back faces. 
     
     
         5 . The toothbrush of  claim 1 , wherein the head receives the elongate handle into a cavity formed by the head. 
     
     
         6 . The toothbrush of  claim 1 , wherein the head comprises a sponge material. 
     
     
         7 . The toothbrush of  claim 1 , wherein the head comprises a loofah material. 
     
     
         8 . The toothbrush of  claim 1 , wherein the forward protrusions are elongate bristles. 
     
     
         9 . The toothbrush of  claim 1 , wherein the forward protrusions have dome shapes. 
     
     
         10 . The toothbrush of  claim 1 , wherein each one of the forward protrusions has a ridge shape which extends laterally with respect to the elongate handle. 
     
     
         11 . The toothbrush of  claim 1 , wherein the head has a cylindrical shape, the head being axially aligned with the elongate handle. 
     
     
         12 . An animal toothbrush comprising:
 an elongate handle having a first end and a second end, the elongate handle having a front face and a back face which extend from the first end to the second end, the elongate handle having a pair of lateral faces extending from the first end to the second end and from the front face to the back face, the elongate handle having a width between the lateral faces which is greater than a depth between the front and back faces;   a head mounted to the first end of the elongate handle, the head having a size and being configured for fitting within a mouth of an animal, the head receiving the elongate handle into a cavity formed by the head; and   a tooth cleaning substance impregnated into the head.   
     
     
         13 . The toothbrush of  claim 12 , wherein the head has a forward face and a plurality of forward protrusions, the plurality of forward protrusions being coupled to and extending away from the forward face, the head having a backward face and a plurality of backward protrusions, the plurality of backward protrusions being coupled to and extending away from the backward face, the head comprising a sponge material, the forward and backward protrusions having dome shapes. 
     
     
         14 . The toothbrush of  claim 12 , wherein the head has a forward face and a plurality of forward protrusions, the plurality of forward protrusions being coupled to and extending away from the forward face, the head having a backward face and a plurality of backward protrusions, the plurality of backward protrusions being coupled to and extending away from the backward face, the head comprising a loofah material, each one of the forward and backward protrusions having a ridge shape which extends laterally with respect to the elongate handle. 
     
     
         15 . The toothbrush of  claim 12 , wherein the head has a forward face and a plurality of forward protrusions, the plurality of forward protrusions being coupled to and extending away from the forward face, the plurality of forward protrusions being elongate bristles. 
     
     
         16 . The toothbrush of  claim 12 , wherein the head has a cylindrical shape and is axially aligned with the elongate handle. 
     
     
         17 . A method of cleaning an animal's teeth, the method comprising:
 wetting a head of an animal toothbrush with water, wherein the head is impregnated with a tooth cleaning substance, whereby the water acts to separate the tooth cleaning substance from the head; and   scrubbing the animal's teeth with the head of the animal toothbrush, whereby the tooth cleaning substance is further separated from the head and is spread on the animal's teeth, whereby undesirable substances are removed from the animal's teeth.