DENTAL FLOSS AND TAPE

SOIE ET RUBAN DENTAIRES

English Abstract

Fluorocarbon polymer powder particles, e.g.
particulate PTFE, are included, as a solid lubricant, in
the binder applied to dental floss or tape.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A dental floss or tape comprising a multi-filament
yarn and a binder between the individual filaments holding
the filaments together in the yarn, and fluorocarbon polymer
powder particles in said binder, said powder particles being
present in an amount of up to 80% by weight based on the
weight of the binder and having an average particle size in
the range of 1 to 50 µm.

2. A dental floss or tape according to claim 1
wherein the fluorocarbon polymer comprises a polymer or
copolymer of chlorotrifluoroethylene, fluorinated
ethylenepropylene, polyvinylidene fluoride, hexafluoropropylene or
tetrafluoroethylene.

3. A dental floss or tape according to claim 1
wherein the fluorocarbon polymer comprises
polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE).

4. A dental floss or tape according to claim 1
wherein the binder contains 0.5 to 60% by weight solid
lubricant.


5. A dental floss or tape according to claim 1
wherein the average particle size is in the range 5 to
30 µm.




6. A dental floss or tape according to claim 1
wherein the binder comprises wax.

7. A dental floss or tape according to claim 6
wherein the content of wax in the floss or tape is in the
range 10 to 30 weight %.

8. A dental floss or tape according to claim 1
wherein the binder comprises a non-wax binder and the
non-wax binder content of the floss or tape is 2 to 15 weight %.

9. A dental floss or tape according to claim 7
wherein the wax binder contains from 0.5 to 60% by weight,
based on the weight of wax binder, of said solid lubricant.

10. A dental floss or tape according to claim 8
wherein the non-wax binder contains from 0.5 to 60% by
weight, based on the weight of the non-wax binder, of said
solid lubricant.

Description

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DENTAL FLOSS AND TAPE

l This invention relates to dental floss and tape.
Dental floss and tape are well known products
used for the cleaning of interdental gaps or as an under-
bridge dental cleaner. Floss and tape are generally
similar but the tape has a flat cross sectional shape,
while floss has a round cross sectional shape. Typically,
floss or tape consists of a yarn of a large number of fine
filaments, for example, of nylon or polyester, togeth~r
with a binder which holds the filaments together in the
yarn. The most common form of binder is wax, but non-wax

coatings are also known, for example, polyvinyl acetate.
When wax is used as a binder, it has the
advantage that it acts as a lubricant, making it easier for
the user to pass the floss or tape between the teeth.
Nevertheless, where the interdental gap is narrow, some

users still find it difficult to pull the floss or tape
between the teeth.
GB 1380032 discloses a packaging material and a
yarn which contains aromatic polyamide filaments and
polytetrafluoroethylene filaments. The yarn may
additionally be coated with finely divided
polytetrafluoroethylene particles and may also be coated as
well with polyorganosiloxane. The yarn is braided to form
the packaging material. PTFE is used in packaging
materials because of its ability to withstand high
temperatures and its chemical inertness.

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EP 0136727 also discloses a further packaging
material and yarn which is coated in polyfluorocarbon,
preferably mixed with graphite. The yarn is an aromatic
polyamide, contains 1000 to 20000 filaments and has a
density of 150 to 3000 tex.
According to the present invention there is
provided dental floss or tape having a binder for the
filaments thereof, wherein the binder contains solid
lubricant in the form of fluorocarbon polymer powder
particles. The effect of the solid lubricant is to reduce
the coefficient of friction of the floss or tape with the
teeth, thereby rendering it easier to pull the floss or tape
through the interdental gap.
In another aspect, the present invention provides
a dental floss or tape comprising a multi-filament yarn and
a binder between the individual filaments holding the
filaments together in the yarn, and fluorocarbon polymer
powder particles in said binder, said powder particles being
present in an amount of up to 80~ by weight based on the
weight of the binder and having an average particle size in
the range of 1 to 50 ~m.

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2a
Any suitable solid lubricant of the fluorocarbon
polymer type can be used, the most commonly available being
PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene). Other fluorocarbon polymers
are polymers or copolymers of chlorotrifluoroethylene,
fluorinated ethylene-propylene polyvinylidene fluoride,
hexafluoropropylene, tetrafluoroethylene etc. Preferred are
perfluoropolymers. The average particle size of the solid
lubricant is preferably in the range of 1 to 50 ~m, or more
preferably 5 to 30 ~m. The content of the solid lubricant
in the binder may be up to 80% by weight, but is preferably
in the range 0.5% to 60%, or more preferably 5% to 40~. The
most preferable weight range is 10 to 30%.
The invention is applicable both where a wax
binder is used and where a non-wax binder is used. In the

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1 case of a wax binder, typically the content of the wax in
the floss or tape is in the range 10 to 30 weight %, more
preferably 15 to 23 weight %. In the case of a non-wax
coating, such as polyvinyl acetate, the binder content in
the floss or tape is somewhat lower, typically 5 to 15%.
Suitable materials for the filaments of the floss
or tape are nylon, polyester and polypropylene, among many
synthetic plastics materials. Generally speaking these
materials are not absorbent. Typically dimensional ranges

for floss and tape are 300 to 2000 dtex. Generally, floss
has 30 to 120 turns per metre.
One specific embodiment of the invention is given
by way of example. It is not limiting.
A continuous multifilament yarn of nylon (940

dtex ICI high-te~acity yarn, of 150 filaments, twisted 90
turns per metre) was passed through a bath of warm wax
containing 20% of fine PTFE powder (ICI Fluon L169 of
average particle size, as measured by Coulter Counter
method, of 9.7 ,um, 90% of the particles being below 20 ~m).

The take-up of wax including PTFE from the bath by the yarn
was such that in the product 18~ of the floss weight is wax
plus PTFE. After passing through the bath, the yarn is
passed between heated rollers which control the level of
binder by pressure. Passage between the rollers forces the

binder between the individual filaments.
In tests, this dental floss was found to be
easier to pull through the interdental gaps than the
identical floss without the PTFE powder, particularly where

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1 there are tight contact points. The reduction in friction
is advantageous in that less binder is left on the teeth.
In consumer tests, a consumer preference was
expressed for floss having PTFE in the binder. This was
also true of double tests. Inclusion of PTFE powder has
the added advantage of enhancing the appearance of the
product by making it whiter. PTFE powder is white and acts
as an "optical brightener". A "sticky feeling" occurring
during or after flossing which is often caused by the wax
in the binder, is removed by use of PTFE in the binder.
The PTFE imparts a "dry" feel to floss and tape.