"Oral composition"means a composition for topical applications to the oral cavity to clean and care for the teeth as well as the oral cavity surfaces.

Representatives of such compositions are oral hygiene products and dentifrices such as mouthwashes or rinses, toothpaste, dental gels, tooth powder. chewing gum, lozenges, and similar products. In addition to cleaning teeth to remove dental plaque, the function of oral hygiene preparations is to stop the formation of dental calculus, to prevent dental disorders such as caries, periodontitis and gingivitis, and also to eliminate halitosis.

Dental plaque is a deposit which forms on teeth and consists of inorganic and organic components derived from saliva, food and bacteria which are present in the oral cavity. When plaque undergoes calcification it forms dental calculus, or tartar as it is sometimes called. Dental calculus is largely calcium and orthophosphate arranged in a crystal lattice called hydroxyapatite (HAP).

Oral malodor, or halitosis, is caused by the putrefactive activity of microorganisms on appropriate substrate components of dental plaque, debris adhering to mucous membranes and salivary cellular elements to produce volatile sulfur compounds. These sulfur volatiles primarily consist of hydrogen sulfide (H, S), methyl mercaptan (CH3SH) and traces of dimethyl sulfide (CH3) 2S. Volatile sulfur compounds, aromatic amines, ammonia and urea have also been shown to increase in the mouth of patients suffering from periodontal disease.

Methods of inhibiting volatile sulfur compounds to reduce the production of mouth odor have included the use of dentifrices containing antimicrobials, such as, chlorhexidine. However, the side effects associated with chlorhexidine, such as a bitter taste and staining of the teeth, tongue, gums and oral mucosa, precludes the use of chlorhexidine in oral compositions.

The prior art also shows oral compositions containing zinc salts such as zinc chloride, zinc iodide, zinc fluoride, zinc phenol sulfate and the like as antiseptic agents, and correctives of oral conditions such as pyorrhea. Zinc chloride has commonly been used in oral formulations for its astringency properties. Zinc phenol sulfate has been utilized in the prior art dentifrice compositions as an anti-plaque and anti-calculus agent as well as an odor inhibitor of fermentation and putrefaction which occurs in the oral cavity. Compositions in which these soluble zinc salts have been used have had the disadvantages such as leaving an unpleasant astringent taste in the mouth and/or having short-lived efficacy against plaque, and as an odor inhibitor.

A need exists therefore for an oral composition to control mouth and breath odors and which does no have the unpleasant taste associated with previous oral compositions.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an oral composition.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an oral composition which controls mouth and breath odors.

It is a further object of the invention to provide oral compositions in the nature of dentrifrices, including mouth rinses and toothpastes.

These and other objects of the present invention which shall become apparent from the specification to follow are accomplished by the invention as hereinafter described.

In general, according to the present invention, a breath freshening toothpaste includes at least one solvent, a surfactant, a thickener and an amount of a zinc compound, preferably zinc chloride.

According to another embodiment of the invention, a breath freshening rinse includes water and alcohol or other solvents, and an amount of a zinc component, preferably zinc chloride.

PREFERED EMBODIMENTS FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The present invention includes zinc components contained in an solvent.

Preferably, the zinc component is a zinc salt which includes any that are physiologically acceptable in oral compositions. A preferred zinc salt is zinc chloride.

The compositions according to the present invention also include a solvent such as water, alcohol, glycerin or the like. Preferred solvents include sorbitol, glycerin, polyethylene glycol, water or any similar physiologically acceptable solvent.

It is understood that certain of the solvents, such as polyethylene glycol, can also act as a humectant.

It is also preferred to include a surface-active agent or surfactant in the compositions. Again, any physiologically acceptable surfactant, such as sodium lauryl sulfate is useful in the present invention.

Other components may also be included in the compositions according to the present invention, such as for example abrasivesn (such as Zeodent), thickeners (again including for example, Zeodent), emulsifiers, sweeteners, dyes and the like, may also be included in the present compositions.

A toothpaste according to the present invention may include the following: TABLE 1 BREATH FRESHENING TOOTHPASTE T', x or ito 0 eo ent u er Zeodent 113 1 1 J 11 V eo ent (Hu er., ycenn o ow 0. 00. ater.. L 1 mon ar i e., o mm aury u ate tep an., mc on e Ma mc o t., 9 Natrasol 250H (Aqualon) 0. 30 0. 30 avor vam a mmt (Nom e.., 1 Sodmm Sacchann (PMC Spec... ue o. amer enkinson., T5--D&CYellow No. 10 (Wamer Jenkinson) 0. 0015U. 0015 15 D&C Yellow No. 10 (Warner Jenkinson) 0. 0015 0. 0015100. 00

An oral rinse composition according the present invention has the following components.

TABLE 2 ORAL RINSE INGREDIENTS Water 8-)-9u ater 85-90 87. 67 ater Polysorbate 80 (I (CI) 0. 40-0. 44 0. 42t ano arm o.. Po ysorbate.. 40-0. uromc... mc on e a er.. Zmc Chlonde (JT Baker) OTT5OT5 o mm citrate a er 0.. Flavor(minot.. Flavor (Cirmamic Aldehyde. 06 o mm acc ann a er.. Citnc Acid (JT Baker) 0. 01"OH ue erner en nson.. 100

In the above formulas, polysorbate 80 is a surfactant, namely, a polyoxyethylene fatty acid ester. Poloximer 237 emulsifier (a polyethylene polypropylene glycol) are useful.

It should be evident therefore, that the oral compositions according to the present invention and as described above, carry out the objects of the invention as set forth. The present invention has been exemplified without attempting to show all of the variations which fall within the scope of the invention. One skilled in the art will readily understand how to vary the composition components, amounts, and the like without departing from the scope of the invention.