Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an oral care composition for minimising staining of teeth.

Background of the Invention

Long-lasting whitening of teeth is of considerable interest to consumers. Foods and drinks such as tea, coffee and wine may form dental stains by directly depositing chromogens on the tooth surface. Attraction of materials to the tooth surface plays a critical role in the deposition of extrinsic dental stain. The chromogens in these beverages that are responsible for causing dental stain are known as tannins and are composed of polyphenols such as catechins. These materials generate colour due to the presence of conjugated double bonds.

Traditional tooth whitening methods involve either peroxide bleaching from kit formats or abrasive stain removal from toothpaste formats. These particles are essentially insoluble particles that remove extrinsic stain from the surface of the tooth via abrasion when applied with a brush. The present invention relates to a novel oral care composition that delivers effective levels of stain protection and prolongs the effects of tooth whitening by preventing staining of teeth. The invention discloses a stain repellent coating having a synergistic blend of a hydrophilic- hydrophobic block co-polymer and Ca ²⁺ chelating agent (a phosphate salt) at a defined ratio. This helps to provide a protective stain coating on the tooth surface during the consumption of food/drinks post whitening treatments.

The block copolymers used in the present invention are what are generally known as Pluronics. These polymers, in general, have been known to be used in oral care. The phosphate salt used in the present invention is hexametaphosphate which has also been used in oral care.

US2014377194A (P&G) discloses an oral care composition containing (a) a zinc citrate; and (b) a surface-active organophosphate compound and it also relates to a method of preventing a stain from depositing on a tooth surface or other oral surfaces.

US2003124065A (P&G) discloses an oral care composition and methods for overall cleaning, whitening and preventing, reducing or removing surface deposited stains on natural teeth and dental prosthesis, the compositions comprising in an orally acceptable carrier at least 0.1 % by weight of a water-soluble or water-dispersible copolymer prepared by copolymerizing one or a mixture of vinyl pyrrolidone (VP) monomers with one or a mixture of C1-C19 alkyl carboxylic acid (AC) C2-C12 alkenyl ester monomers; preferably, these compositions further comprise one or a mixture of other oral care agents selected from a water soluble alkali metal or ammonium tripolyphosphate in an amount at least about 0.5% by weight of the composition, an abrasive, preferably a precipitated silica abrasive, in an amount at least about 6% by weight of the composition and a bleaching agent in an amount at least about 0.1% by weight of the composition.

It is thus an object of the present invention to provide for an oral care composition that minimizes staining of teeth.

Description of the Invention

According to the first aspect of the present invention there is provided an oral care composition comprising:

(a) polymer having the structure in which a is independently selected from 2 to 130 and b is 15 to 67 and the molecular weight of the polymer is from 1,700 to 15,000 Da.

(b) hexametaphosphate;

(c) blue covarine and and

(d) an orally acceptable base; in which the weight ratio of the polymer to hexametaphosphate is from 1 :5 to 5:1.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of minimising or preventing the staining of teeth comprising the steps of applying the composition of the invention described above on to a tooth.

A further aspect of the invention relates to cosmetic use of a composition according to any preceding claim to mitigate the staining of teeth.

Detailed Description of the Invention

Except in the examples, or where otherwise explicitly indicated, all numbers in this description indicating amounts of material or conditions of reaction, physical properties of materials and/or use may optionally be understood as modified by the word “about”.

All amounts are by weight of the final composition, unless otherwise specified.

It should be noted that in specifying any ranges of values, any particular upper value can be associated with any particular lower value.

The disclosure of the invention as found herein is to be considered to cover all embodiments as found in the claims as being multiply dependent upon each other irrespective of the fact that claims may be found without multiple dependency or redundancy.

Where a feature is disclosed with respect to a particular aspect of the invention (for example a composition of the invention), such disclosure is also to be considered to apply to any other aspect of the invention (for example a method of the invention) mutatis mutandis.

The present invention relates to an oral care composition comprising a polymer having the structure of compound of formula 1.

Compound of formula 1.

In the above compound, the molecular weight ratio of ethoxylate groups to the propoxylate groups is in the range of 0.1 to 3.0, preferably in the range of 0.1 to 2.5. The molecular weight of the polymer is in the range of from 1700 to 15000 Da, preferably in the range of 10000 to 13000 Da. The present invention preferably requires polymers, which contains both EO and PO (propoxylate) parts, with the above structure. The ethoxylate (EO) part of the polymer is to preferably be from 10 to 80% of the total polymer, more preferably from 10 to 60% of the total polymer.

Commercially available polymers which are preferably used in the composition of the present invention include Pluronic L-61, Pluronic F88, Pluronic F77, Pluronic F108, or Pluronic 127, more preferably Pluronic 127. The polymer is preferably present in 0.05 to 4wt%, more preferably 0.1 to 3wt%, most preferably from 0.1 to 2 wt% of the total composition

The composition of the invention includes a phosphate compound which is hexametaphosphate. Sodium hexametaphosphate has the structure as give below:

The hexametaphosphate is preferably included in 0.1 to 4%, more preferably 0.1 to 2.0% by weight of the total composition. It is required as per the present invention that the weight ratio of polymer of formula 1 to hexametaphosphate is from 1 :5 to 5:1 , more preferably from 1:4 to 4:1. In a preferred aspect this ratio is from 1 :3 to 3:1. It is particularly preferred if the weight ratio of polymer of formula 1 to hexametaphosphate is greater than 1 :1.

It is preferred that the total amount of polymer and hexametaphosphate in the composition of the invention is from 0.1 to 5wt%, of the total composition.

The pigment used in the invention comprisesis Phthalocyanine Blue Pigment, Cl No. 74160, blue covarine.

Preferably the weight ration of blue covarine to polymer (a) is from 5:100 to 1 : 1 ,000, more preferably from 3:200 to 1 :500.

The amount of pigment in the total composition, particularly the pigments named above, in particular blue covarine is from 0.0005 wt% to 0.5 wt%, more preferably from 0.001 to 0.1 wt% most preferably from 0.007 to 0.014 wt%.

The percentage weights refer to the total amount of active present and exclude any carriers that may be present.

Compositions according to the invention can be in any orally acceptable form such as a toothpaste, mouthwash, spray, tablet, mask or serum, however sparys and toothpastes are preferred.

The composition of the invention comprises an orally acceptable base. The orally acceptable base preferably comprises, a humectant, water, volatile alcohol or combinations thereof. The orally acceptable base preferably makes up 96 to 99.8% by weight of the composition.

A composition according to the invention (will generally contain further ingredients to enhance performance and/or consumer acceptability, in addition to the ingredients specified above. Compositions according to the invention may comprise a polymeric deposition aid. Preferably the composition comprises acid anhydride polymers, particularly preferred are co-polymers of maleic anhydride with methyl vinylether, in which the anhydride moiety may be in a partially or fully hydrolysed or alcoholysed form. Preferred copolymers include Gantrez(R) polymers such as:

Gantrez S-95: molecular weight 216,000; free acid;

Gantrez S-96: molecular weight 700,000; free acid;

Gantrez S-97: molecular weight 1,500,000; free acid; and Gantrez MS-955: molecular weight 1,060,000; calcium/sodium salt.

Particularly preferred co-polymers of maleic acid and methyl vinylether have a molecular weight of 1,000,000 or greater and an especially preferred material is Gantrez S-97.

Compositions according to the invention may comprise water-soluble or sparingly water-soluble sources of metal salts. Preferred are zinc ions such as zinc chloride, zinc acetate, zinc gluconate, zinc sulphate, zinc fluoride, zinc citrate, zinc lactate, zinc oxide, zinc monoglycerolate, zinc tartrate, zinc pyrophosphate and zinc maleate; also preferred are stannous ions such as stannous fluoride and stannous chloride.

Compositions according to the invention may comprise oral care enzyme systems such as hydrogen peroxide producing enzyme systems (e.g. the oxidoreductase enzyme glucose oxidase), amyloglucosidase, dextranase and/or mutanase, (optionally in the presence of zinc ion providing compounds and/or 8- hydroxyquinoline derivatives), lactoperoxidase, lactoferrin, lysozyme and mixtures thereof.

Compositions of the invention may comprise fluoride sources such as sodium fluoride, stannous fluoride, sodium monofluorophosphate, zinc ammonium fluoride, tin ammonium fluoride, calcium fluoride, cobalt ammonium fluoride and mixtures thereof.

Preferably the composition has a pH at 20°C from 6 to 9.

The composition according the invention will comprise further ingredients which are common in the art, such as: antimicrobial agents, e.g. chlorhexidine, sanguinarine extract, metronidazole, quaternary ammonium compounds, such as cetylpyridinium chloride; bis-guanides, such as chlorhexidine digluconate, hexetidine, octenidine, alexidine; and halogenated bisphenolic compounds, such as 2,2' methylenebis-(4-chloro-6-bromophenol); anti-inflammatory agents such as ibuprofen, flurbiprofen, aspirin, indomethacin etc.; anti-caries agents such as sodium- and stannous fluoride, aminefluorides, sodium monofluorophosphate, sodium trimeta phosphate and casein; plaque buffers such as urea, calcium lactate, calcium glycerophosphate and strontium polyacrylates; vitamins such as Vitamins A, C and E; plant extracts; plant-derivable antioxidants such as flavonoid, catechin, polyphenol, and tannin compounds and mixtures thereof; desensitising agents, e.g. potassium citrate, potassium chloride, potassium tartrate, potassium bicarbonate, potassium oxalate, potassium nitrate and strontium salts; anti-calculus agents, e.g. alkali-metal pyrophosphates, hypophosphite-containing polymers, organic phosphonates and phosphocitrates etc.; biomolecules, e.g. bacteriocins, antibodies, enzymes, etc.; flavours, e.g. peppermint and spearmint oils; proteinaceous materials such as collagen; preservatives; opacifying agents; hyaluronic acid; amino acids such as arginine; colouring agents; pH-adjusting agents; sweetening agents; pharmaceutically acceptable carriers, e.g. starch, sucrose, water or water/alcohol systems etc.; surfactants, such as anionic, nonionic, cationic and zwitterionic or amphoteric surfactants;

Humectants such as glycerol, sorbitol, propyleneglycol, xylitol, lactitol etc.; binders and thickeners such as sodium carboxymethyl-cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose

(Natrosol®), xanthan gum, gum arabic etc. as well as synthetic polymers such as polyacrylates and carboxyvinyl polymers such as Carbopol®; polymeric compounds which can enhance the delivery of active ingredients such as antimicrobial agents can also be included; buffers and salts to buffer the pH and ionic strength of the oral care composition; and other optional ingredients that may be included are e.g. bleaching agents such as peroxy compounds e.g. potassium peroxydiphosphate, effervescing systems such as sodium bicarbonate/citric acid systems, colour change systems, and so on.

The invention will now be illustrated by the following non-limiting examples.

Examples of the invention are represented by a number, comparative Examples are illustrated by a letter.

Examples

Sprays were produced as in Table 1

Table 1

Testing Method Extracted teeth were cleaned with a silica-based toothpaste and placed in sterile human pooled saliva for 2 hours to allow a pellicle to form. Baseline tooth colour was measured using a colorimeter. The teeth were gently dabbed with a tissue to remove excess saliva and each tooth was then given 2 spray applications of either the anti stain formulation (containing pluronic F127 and sodium hexametaphosphate) or the placebo formulation. The teeth were left for 10 seconds before before a colour measurement was taken (instant whitening effect) and then placed in a stain solution at 25°c (1:1:1 black coffee solution, black tea solution, red wine) with gentle agitation (75rpm) for 1.5 or 3 hours. The teeth were removed at each time point, rinsed in 50ml of water, the colour remeasured and then placed back in the stain.

The instant whitening effect is described in terms of changes in the tooth Whiteness Index (WIO) from baseline and the subsequent antistain in terms of DE from baseline. The results are shown in Table 2.

Total colour change (DE) from baseline and hence level of stain formation was calculated following different timepoints using:

DE = V[(L ^* o - L ^* _t ) ² + (a ^* o - a ^* _t ) ² + (b ^* ₀ - b ^* _t ) ² ]

Where L*o and L* _t are L* values at baseline and time t respectively; a*o and a* _t are a* values at baseline and time t respectively, and b*o and b* _t are b* values at baseline and time t.

Table 2

Results

Mean DE (s.e.) values for each treatment group (n=15) after various time points in the staining solution are shown below in Table 2. The product differences were of statistical significance (Student’s t-test, p<0.05) at each time point.

The data in the table 2 indicates that oral care compositions as per the invention (Example 1-3) provides vastly superior anti-staining efficacy (as evident by the low DE values) as compared to the comparative Example (Example A). Values with different letters within each time point indicate statistically significant differences between treatment groups (p<0.05, ANOVA, Tukey-Kramer).

The data in Table 2 indicates that the addition of blue covarine at different levels to the spray formulation (Example 1) gives instant whitening benefits superior to the comparative formulation (Example A) as evident by the greater and significant change in WIO values. In addition, the blue covarine containing spray formulation provides vastly superior anti-staining efficacy (as evident by the significantly lower DE values) as compared to the comparative Example (Example A).