Granted Patent B2

US 12,376,951 · App. 18/471,338 · Granted Aug 5, 2025

Inventor: Paul Albert Sagel (Maineville, OH)

Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company

A61C19/066A61C1/088A61K8/0233A61K8/22A61N5/062A61Q11/00A61K2800/81A61K2800/87A61N2005/0606

Abstract

Claims (26)

1. A method of whitening teeth, comprising:

applying a whitening composition to teeth, wherein the whitening composition comprises peroxide;

maintaining the whitening composition on the teeth for a first time period without an application of light radiation; and

after the first time period, directing a light radiation provided at a wavelength between about 380 nm and about 520 nm toward the teeth for a second time period,

wherein a duration of the first time period is greater than 50% of a combined duration of the first time period and the second time period.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises the step of removing the whitening composition from the teeth.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein removing the whitening composition from the teeth comprises removing the whitening composition from the teeth after the first time period and before the second time period.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the duration of the first time period is at least 80% of the combined duration of the first time period and the second time period.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the combined duration of the first and second time periods is at least about 30 minutes, and the second time period is no greater than about 10 minutes.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the wavelength is selected for absorption by a stain on the teeth and corresponds to a color substantially opposite a color of the stain on a 1976 CIE LAB color scale.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the wavelength is between about 440 nm and about 490 nm.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the whitening composition does not include a photosensitizing agent.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein no photosensitizing agent is applied to the teeth.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first time period is sufficient to ensure dilution of peroxide concentration on tissues surrounding the teeth to less than about 2%.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the whitening composition is in a form of a layer that is applied to the tooth having a peroxide density less than about 1.3 mg/cm 2 .

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the peroxide has a concentration between about 7.5% and about 35%, by weight of the whitening composition.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the whitening composition is applied to the teeth in a layer having a thickness less than about 0.3 mm.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the whitening composition is provided on a strip of material configured to block light waves having a frequency of greater than about 700 nm.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the whitening composition is provided in a tray.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying a whitening composition to teeth comprises applying the whitening composition directly to the teeth.

17. The method of claim 1 , further comprising maintaining the whitening composition on the teeth for a third time period after the second time period.

18. A method of whitening teeth, comprising:

applying a whitening composition comprising from about 7.5% to about 35%, by weight of the whitening composition, of a peroxide to teeth in a layer having a thickness less than about 0.3 mm and a peroxide density less than about 1.3 mg/cm 2 ;

maintaining the whitening composition on the teeth for a first time period of about 2 minutes to about 60 minutes without an application of light radiation; and

after the first time period, directing a light radiation provided at a wavelength between about 380 nm and about 520 nm and an intensity of no greater than about 150 mW/cm 2 toward the teeth for a second time period of about 1 minute to about 30 minutes.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising removing the whitening composition from the teeth after the first time period and before the second time period.

Continuity (6)

References Cited (400)