Dentifrice compositions

Claim 2

A dentifrice composition, selected from the group consisting of a toothpaste, dental cream, or dental gel, effective to inhibit the growth of dental plaque comprising: a surfactant; an anti-plaque agent, said agent being a zinc salt having a water solubility greater than 2×10 -4 g per 100 g of water at 25° C. and pH 7; and water in an amount of about 25% to about 60% by weight of the dentifrice excluding insoluble solids, said dentifrice being characterized by having at least about 0.2% by weight of the dentifrice of a lamellar liquid crystal surfactant phase with a lamellar spacing of less than 6.0 nm.

Claim 3

A dentifrice composition as claimed in claim 1 further comprising: sorbitol, a flavor oil, and a water-soluble salt other than a fluorine-containing salt in an amount providing a molar cation concentration equal to the molar cation concentration provided by about 0.1% to about 3% sodium chloride by weight of the dentifrice composition, said dentifrice being further characterized in that the lamellar spacing and percentage weight of the lamellar liquid crystal surfactant phase are measured after a centrifugation separation procedure, said separation procedure comprising: (1) sufficient centrifrugation to separate the dentifrice composition into its main phase including a liquid portion; followed by (2) sufficient ultracentrifugation of the liquid portion so that the liquid portion separates into layers until there is no substantial change in volumes of the separated layers of the liquid portion, the lamellar liquid crystal surfactant phase being present as one of the separated layers of the liquid portion.

Claim 4

A dentifrice composition as claimed in claim 2, wherein the water-soluble salt is sodium chloride in an amount of about 0.1% to about 3% by weight of the dentifrice composition.

Claim 5

A dentifrice composition as claimed in claim 3, wherein the amount of sodium chloride is about 0.1% to about 1% by weight of the dentifrice composition.

Claim 6

A dentifrice composition as claimed in claim 2, wherein the cation of the water-soluble salt is selected from the group consisting of sodium, potassium, aluminum, magnesium or zinc.

Claim 7

A dentifrice composition as claimed in claim 2, wherein the anion of the water-soluble salt is selected from the group consisting of chloride, sulfate, phosphate and acetate.

Claim 8

A dentifrice composition as claimed in claim 2, wherein the lamellar spacing is measured within a month of manufacturing the dentifrice compositions.

Claim 9

A dentrifrice composition as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a particulate abrasive agent in an amount of about 5% to about 60% by weight of the dentifrice composition.

Claim 10

A dentifrice composition as claimed in claim 8, wherein the particulate abrasive agent is selected from alumina and silica abrasives having a particle size in the range of 2 to 20 microns.

Claim 11

A dentifrice composition as claimed in claim 2, wherein the lamellar spacing of the liquid crystal surfactant phase is less than 5.0 nm.

Claim 12

A dentifrice composition as claimed in claim 2, wherein the lamellar spacing is less than 4.4 nm.

Claim 13

A dentifrice composition as claimed in claim 2, wherein the lamellar liquid crystal surfactant phase is present in an amount of at least 0.3% by weight of the dentifrice composition.

Claim 14

A dentifrice composition as claimed in claim 2, wherein the lamellar liquid crystal surfactant phase is present in an amount of at least 0.5% by weight of the dentifrice composition.

Claim 15

A dentifrice composition as claimed in claim 2, wherein the zinc salt has a water solubility greater than 1×10 -2 g per 100 g of water at 25° C. and at pH 7.

Claim 16

A dentifrice composition as claimed in claim 2, wherein the zinc salt is a salt of an organic acid selected from mono-, di- and tri-carboxylic acids, α-hydroxy carboxylic acids and amino acids.

Claim 17

A dentifrice composition as claimed in claim 12, wherein the zinc salt is a zinc citrate.

Claim 18

A dentifrice composition as claimed in claim 2, wherein the zinc salt is present in such amount as to provide from about 0.05% to about 1.5% of zinc ion by weight of the composition.

Claim 19

A dentifrice composition as claimed in claim 2, wherein the surfactant is an anionic surfactant.

Claim 20

A dentifrice composition as claimed in claim 18, wherein the surfactant is selected from the group consisting of sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate, sodium lauroyl sarcosinate and mixtures thereof.

Claim 21

A dentifrice composition as claimed in claim 2, comprising about 1% to about 3% by weight of an anionic surfactant selected from the group consisting of sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate, sodium lauroyl sarcosinate and mixtures thereof, an anti-plaque agent consisting of from about 0.2% to about 2% by weight zinc citrate, about 0.1% to about 3% by weight sodium chloride, about 5% to about 60% by weight of an abrasive selected from alumina and silica abrasives, about 15% to about 70% by weight of sorbitol syrup and about 0.1% to about 5% by weight of flavor oil.