Oral hygiene device for young children

Claim 1

An oral hygiene device comprising a teething ring of annular shape including a pair of diametrically alligned slots and having an outside diameter D1 defining an interior cavity and a simulated tooth brush including a bristle section and a handle having an axis of symmetry normal to that of said teething ring, said handle being of a length L where L is equal to or less than D1 as well as having end segments connected to said teething ring within said alligned slots whereby said handle spans across said interior cavity of said teething ring thereby defining a pair of crescent-shaped sectors of sufficient area to permit the hand of a youngster to penetrate through the sectors and grip said handle of said tooth brush whereby said youngster can mechanically manipulate said handle of said simulated tooth brush resulting in the generation of pleasant associative factors to be augmented by later oral hygiene education involving an actual tooth brush matched at least in color to said handle of said simulated tooth brush.

Claim 13

The method of teaching oral hygiene using an oral hygiene device comprising a teething ring of annular shape having an outside diameter D1 defining an interior cavity and a simulated tooth brush including a bristle section and a handle having an axis of symmetry normal to that of said teething ring, said handle also having end segments connected to diametrically-opposed, parallel slots within said teething ring thereby permitting the handle to span across said interior cavity of said teething ring wherein there is defined a pair of crescent-shaped sectors of sufficient area to permit the hand of a youngster to penetrate through the sectors and grip said handle of said tooth brush whereby a youngster can mechanically manipulate said handle of said simulated tooth brush resulting in the generation of pleasant associative factors to be augmented by oral hygiene education, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a youngster with an actual tooth brush of at least similar color as the simulated tooth brush of the improved hygiene device; (b) encouraging said youngster to carry the improved oral hygiene device with him during play or waking rest periods whereby cognitive recognition between functions of the separate tooth brushes are established; (c) actually cleaning the youngster's teeth using said actual tooth brush in which the mechanics of good brushing are taught by a teacher whereby pleasant associative factors associated with step (b) are augmented by color similitude between the actual tooth brush matched to that of the handle of the simulated tooth brush.

Claim 14

The method of teaching oral hygiene using an oral hygiene device comprising a teething ring of annular shape having an outside diameter D1 defining an interior cavity and a simulated tooth brush including a bristle section and a handle having an axis of symmetry normal to that of said teething ring, said handle also having end segments connected to diametrically-opposed, parallel slots within said teething ring thereby permitting the handle to span across said interior cavity of said teething ring wherein there is defined a pair of crescent-shaped sectors of sufficient area to permit the hand of a youngster to penetrate through the sectors and grip said handle of said tooth brush whereby a youngster can mechanically manipulate said handle of said simulated tooth brush resulting in the generation of pleasant associative factors to be augmented by oral hygiene education, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a youngster with an actual tooth brush of at least similar color as the simulated tooth brush of the improved hygiene device; (b) encouraging said youngster to carry the improved oral hygiene device with him during play or waking rest periods whereby cognitive recognition between functions of the separate tooth brushes are established; (c) actually cleaning the youngster's teeth using said actual tooth brush in which the mechanics of good brushing are taught by a teacher whereby pleasant associative factors associated with step (b) are augmented by color similitude between the actual tooth brush matched to that of the handle of the simulated tooth brush.