Mouthwash
The invention provides mouthwash formulations having improved taste, coupled with good whitening efficacy, which comprise a whitening agent such as hydrogen peroxide together with a combination of a first acid such as citric acid and a second acid such as phosphoric acid. In further embodiments, the mouthwashes may comprise a sucralose and saccharin combination, an acidic polymer, one or more anticalculus agents, e.g., alkali pyrophosphate salts, copolymers of maleic anhydride and methyl vinyl ether and other ingredients.
1. A mouthwash comprising a whitening agent in an amount effective to whiten the teeth, wherein the whitening agent is hydrogen peroxide, optionally together with one or more additional whitening agents, and a combination of a first acid and a second acid, wherein the first acid comprises citric acid and the second acid comprises phosphoric acid, wherein the citric acid and phosphoric acid are in an amount sufficient to provide a pH of 3 to 6, and wherein the mouthwash comprises water in an amount of 60% to 80%.
2. The mouthwash according to claim 1 wherein the hydrogen peroxide is present in an amount of from 0.01-5%.
3. The mouthwash according to claim 2 wherein citric acid and phosphoric acid are present in a ratio of 1:1 to 1:10.
4. The mouthwash according to claim 3 wherein the amount phosphoric acid is from 0.01-1.5%.
5. The mouthwash according claim 4 wherein the amount of citric acid is from 0.01-0.5%.
6. The mouthwash according to claim 5 further comprising a polymer selected from polycarboxylate polymers and polyvinyl methyl ether/maleic anhydride (PVME/MA) coploymers.
7. The mouthwash according to claim 1 further comprising an anticalculus-effective amount of one or more pyrophosphate salts selected from dialkali or tetraalkali metal pyrophosphate salts.
8. The mouthwash according to claim 1 further comprising sweetening amount of a combination of saccharin and sucralose.
9. The mouthwash according to claim 1 further comprising a combination of menthol and methyl salicylate.
10. The mouthwash according to claim 1 further comprising an anti-microbially effective amount of an antibacterial agent selected from triclosan and cetylpyridinium chloride.
11. The mouthwash according to claim 1 comprising one or more or all of the following ingredients in the following amounts:
Polyphosphate salt
1.1-3%,
Non-saccharide sweetener
0.01-0.05%,
Saccharide sweetener
0.001-0.005%,
Polyhydric alcohol (humectant)
7-45%,
Surfactant
0.5-2%,
Flavorant
0.2-2%.
12. The mouthwash according to claim 11 , which comprises:
Water
60-80%,
TSPP
0.1-1%,
TKPP
1-2%,
Sodium saccharin
0.01-0.05%,
Sucralose
0.001-0.005,
Phosphoric acid
0.5-1.5%,
Citric acid
0.1-0.5%,
Humectant
0.1-0.5%,
Surfactant
0.1-0.5%,
Hydroxide peroxide
0.5-5%,
Flavor
0.02-2%,
PYME/MA (e.g. Gantrez ®)
1-2%.
13. A method of whitening teeth comprising administering a mouthwash according to claim 1 to the oral cavity of subject in need thereof.