Disposable tooth cleaning and gum massage device and method for making same

Claim 2

A DISPOSABLE TOOTH CLEANING AND GUM MASSAGE DEVICE ADAPTED FOR INSERTION INTO THE MOUTH AND WHICH WILL NOT DISINTEGRATE UNDER CONDITIONS OF USE CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF A FLAT, THIN, DRY, SEMI-RIGID, TIGHTLY COMPRESSED CELLULAR SPONGE MEMBER COMPOSED OF A LARGE NUMBER OF INTERCONNECTING PORES, CONTAINING DISTRIBUTED WITHIN SAID PORES A DENTIFRICE, SAID MEMBER BEING CHEWABLE AND CAPABLE OF SOFTENING AND EXPANDING IN CONTACT WITH MOUTH MOISTURE TO FORM A SPONGY MASS FROM WHICH SAID DENTIFRICE IS GRADUALLY RELEASED UPON DEFORMATION.

Claim 3

METHOD OF PREPARING A DISPOSABLE TOOTH CLEANING AND GUM MASSAGE MATERIAL WHICH COMPRISES THE STEPS OF IMMERSING A COMPRESSED CELLULAR SPONGE MATERIAL COMPRISED OF A LARGE NUMBER OF INTERCONNECTING PORES AND WHICH IS CAPABLE OF EXPANDING UNDER THE ACTION OF MOISTURE, IN AN AQUEOUS MEDIUM CONTAINING DENTRIFRICE INGREDIENTS, ALLOWING SAID SPONGE MATERIAL TO EXPAND AND ALLOWING SAID INGREDIENTS TO DISTRIBUTE UNIFORMLY WITHIN THE EXPANDED PORES OF SAID SPONGE MATERIAL, SUBSTANTIALLY DEHYDRATING SAID SPONGE MATERIAL AND CONTAINED DENTRIFRICE INGREDIENTS AT A TEMPERATURE BETWEEN ABOUT 25* AND ABOUT 60*C. UNDER A DEGREE OF VACUUM WHICH WILL NOT CAUSE VOLATILIZATION OR DECOMPOSITION OF THE INGREDIENTS OR THE SPONGE, AND THEN COMPRESSING SAID DRIED SPONGE MATERIAL AND CONTAINED DRIED INGREDIENTS TO FORM A FLAT, THIN, DRY, SEMI-RIGID CELLULAR BODY.

Claim 4

METHOD OF PREPARING A DISPOSABLE TOOTH CLEANING AND GUM MASSAGE MATERIAL WHICH COMPRISES THE STEPS OF IMMERSING A COMPRESSED CELLULAR SPONGE MATERIAL COMPRISED OF A LARGE NUMBER OF INTERCONNECTING PORES AND WHICH IS CAPABLE OF EXPANDING UNDER THE ACTION OF MOISTURE, IN AN AQUEOUS MEDIUM CONTAINING DENTRIFRICE INGREDIENTS, ALLOWING SAID SPONGE MATERIAL TO EXPAND AND ALLOWING SAID INGREDIENTS TO DISTRIBUTE UNIFORMLY WITHIN THE EXPANDED PORES OF SAID SPONGE MATERIAL, SUBSTANTIALLY DEHYDRATING SAID SPONGE MATERIAL AND CONTAINED DENTRIFRICE INGREDIENTS AT A TEMPERATURE BETWEEN ABOUT 25* AND ABOUT 60*C. UNDER A DEGREE OF VACUUM WHICH WILL NOT CAUSE VOLATILIZATION OR DECOMPOSITION OF THE INGREDIENTS OR THE SPONGE, AND THEN COMPRESSING SAID DRIED SPONGE MATERIAL AND CONTAINED DRIED INGREDIENTS TO FORM A FLAT, THIN, DRY, SEMI-RIGID CELLULAR BODY.