JP7624938B2 - Cleansing composition for intraoral appliances - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a cleansing composition for intraoral instruments.

With the recent rapid aging of society, the number of people who are forced to wear removable intraoral appliances such as dentures is increasing at an accelerating rate. Such intraoral appliances, such as dentures and orthodontic appliances, tend to retain dirt such as denture plaque and food residue that adheres to them while they are worn, and may cause unpleasant odors such as bad breath when worn, and may also cause dental caries and periodontal disease.
As described above, since intra-oral appliances need to be kept clean in order to maintain physical health, careful daily cleaning is essential. At the same time, it is desirable to prevent the generation of unpleasant odors from intra-oral appliances and within the oral cavity. For this reason, various cleansers have been developed.

For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a tablet-type denture cleanser that contains a fragrance with a scent other than mint notes, and attempts to make the user feel the cleaning effect by imparting a scent to the dentures after cleaning. Patent Document 2 discloses a cleanser composition for intraoral appliances that contains a specific fatty acid or a salt thereof, and attempts to suppress the generation of unpleasant odors while enhancing the effect of removing denture plaque and the effect of inhibiting the formation of denture plaque.

JP 2015-189724 A Patent No. 6921349

However, there is still room for improvement in these technologies in terms of retaining a good aroma even after long periods of storage and providing a refreshing aroma when cleaning and wearing intraoral appliances.

The present invention therefore relates to a cleansing agent composition for intraoral appliances that exhibits excellent denture plaque removal effects while also giving off a pleasant fragrance and being able to stably retain that pleasant fragrance for a long period of time.

The inventors conducted extensive research to solve the above problems, and discovered a cleanser composition for intraoral appliances that contains a specific fatty acid salt or its salt and l-menthone in a specific mass ratio, while limiting the content of l-carvone and setting the pH range to a specific range, thereby exhibiting excellent denture plaque removal effects while also providing a pleasant fragrance, and even after long-term storage, it effectively retains the pleasant fragrance, providing a refreshing fragrance when cleaning and wearing intraoral appliances.

That is, the present invention relates to the following components (A) to (B):
The present invention provides a cleanser composition for intra-oral instruments, comprising: (A) a fatty acid salt or salt thereof having from 10 to 20 carbon atoms, in an amount calculated as fatty acid of from 0.5% by mass to 20% by mass; and (B) 1-menthone, wherein the 1-carvone content is less than 0.0005% by mass, the mass ratio of the content of component (B) to the content of component (A) ((B)/(A)) is from 0.003 to 0.3, and the pH at 25°C is from 8 to 14.

The cleanser composition for intraoral appliances of the present invention exhibits an excellent denture plaque removal effect, effectively suppresses unpleasant odors derived from the cleanser composition for intraoral appliances, and provides a pleasant fragrance. In addition, even after long-term storage, the pleasant fragrance can be effectively maintained, providing a refreshing fragrance when cleaning and wearing intraoral appliances.

The present invention will be described in detail below.
In this specification, the term "oral appliance" refers to a complete denture, a partial denture, an orthodontic appliance, or (hereinafter, these are also collectively referred to as "dentures, etc."), or a mouthpiece, a mouthguard, or other dental appliance that needs to be attached and removed in the oral cavity. Specifically, for example, a complete denture (total denture) is a denture to be attached to an edentulous jaw, and is composed of artificial teeth and a denture base. On the other hand, a partial denture (partial denture) is a denture to be attached to a jaw that has lost some teeth, and is composed of artificial teeth, a denture base, and abutment devices such as clasps, rests, and attachments, and orthodontic appliances and retainers have a similar structure. The denture base is generally made of resin such as acrylic resin, and the artificial teeth and abutment devices are generally made of metals such as titanium and ceramics in addition to such resins. The mouthpiece and mouthguard are generally made of resin such as ethylene vinyl acetate.
In addition, in this specification, "good aroma" means that the aroma derived from the flavor compound, including the mint-like aroma caused by 1-menthone of component (B), is perceived to waft pleasantly from the intraoral appliance during and after cleaning, or in the oral cavity after wearing the appliance, and a good refreshing feeling can be felt. Furthermore, "unpleasant odor" means an unpleasant odor, including a fatty acid odor caused mainly by the fatty acid salt of component (A) or a contained component such as a salt thereof.
In this specification, the term "denture plaque" refers to an aggregate of bacteria attached to intraoral appliances and extracellular substances produced by the bacteria.

The cleanser composition for intraoral instruments of the present invention contains, as component (A), a fatty acid salt or its salt in an amount of 0.5% by mass to 20% by mass, calculated as fatty acid, which allows the composition to be strongly adsorbed to the surface of denture plaque firmly attached to intraoral instruments, disrupt the aggregated structure of the denture plaque, and effectively detach it from the intraoral instruments.
Therefore, it is possible to achieve an excellent denture plaque removal effect, and it also contributes to stably maintaining the fragrance caused by component (B) in the intraoral appliance after cleaning, from the time of manufacture to the time of cleaning, after cleaning, and even after long-term storage (hereinafter also referred to as "stabilization of fragrance").

The fatty acids of component (A) and the fatty acid salts of component (A) each have a carbon number of 10 to 20, preferably 12 to 20, more preferably 14 to 20, and even more preferably 16 to 20. Such fatty acids may have a saturated or unsaturated straight or branched chain, and are more preferably unsaturated straight chain.

Specific examples of the fatty acid constituting the fatty acid of component (A) and the fatty acid salt of component (A) include one or more selected from capric acid, lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, palmitoleic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, vaccenic acid, gadoleic acid, eicosenoic acid, isostearic acid, and arachidic acid, as well as mixed fatty acids thereof such as coconut oil fatty acid and palm oil fatty acid, etc. Among these, from the viewpoint of fully exerting the denture plaque removing effect and stably maintaining a good fragrance not only during production and cleaning but also after long-term storage, one or more selected from palmitoleic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, vaccenic acid, gadoleic acid, and eicosenoic acid are preferred, and oleic acid is more preferred.
Examples of the salt of component (A) include one or more selected from inorganic salts selected from sodium salts, potassium salts, magnesium salts, and ammonium salts; organic amine salts such as monoethanolammonium salts, diethanolammonium salts, and triethanolammonium salts; and basic amino acid salts such as arginine salts. Among these, from the viewpoint of fully exerting the denture plaque removing effect and stably maintaining a good fragrance not only during production and cleaning but also after long-term storage, sodium salts or potassium salts are preferred, and potassium salts are particularly preferred.

The content of component (A) in the cleanser composition for intraoral instruments of the present invention is 0.5% by mass or more, preferably 0.6% by mass or more, more preferably 0.7% by mass or more, and even more preferably 0.8% by mass or more, in terms of fatty acid equivalent, from the viewpoint of effectively exerting an excellent denture plaque removal effect while maintaining a good fragrance for a long period of time. The content of component (A) in the cleanser composition for intraoral instruments of the present invention is 20% by mass or less, preferably 10% by mass or less, more preferably 5% by mass or less, and even more preferably 2% by mass or less, in terms of fatty acid equivalent, from the viewpoint of reducing the unpleasant odor derived from component (A) generated from the intraoral instruments after cleaning. The content of component (A) in the cleanser composition for intraoral instruments of the present invention is 0.5% by mass or more and 20% by mass or less, preferably 0.6 to 10% by mass, more preferably 0.7 to 5% by mass, and even more preferably 0.8 to 2% by mass, in terms of fatty acid equivalent, from the viewpoint of reducing the unpleasant odor derived from component (A) generated from the intraoral instruments after cleaning.

The cleanser composition for intra-oral instruments of the present invention contains 1-menthone as component (B). Component (B) is a component that imparts a mint-like refreshing fragrance, and not only does it give off an excellent fragrance during cleaning, but it also retains that excellent fragrance even after long-term storage.

The content of component (B) in the cleanser composition for intraoral instruments of the present invention is preferably 0.001% by mass or more, more preferably 0.005% by mass or more, even more preferably 0.01% by mass or more, and even more preferably 0.02% by mass or more, from the viewpoint of stably maintaining a good fragrance not only during production and cleaning but also after long-term storage and providing a good refreshing feeling. Also, the content of component (B) in the cleanser composition for intraoral instruments of the present invention is preferably 0.35% by mass or less, more preferably 0.25% by mass or less, even more preferably 0.15% by mass or less, and even more preferably 0.08% by mass or less, from the viewpoint of effectively avoiding excessive residue in the intraoral instruments after cleaning. The content of component (B) in the cleansing composition for intraoral instruments of the present invention is preferably 0.001 to 0.35% by mass, more preferably 0.005 to 0.25% by mass, even more preferably 0.01 to 0.15% by mass, and even more preferably 0.02 to 0.08% by mass.

The mass ratio ((B)/(A)) of the content of component (B) to the content of component (A) is 0.003 or more, preferably 0.006 or more, more preferably 0.01 or more, and even more preferably 0.02 or more, from the viewpoint of reducing the unpleasant odor derived from component (A), stably maintaining a good fragrance not only during production and cleaning but also after long-term storage, and providing a good refreshing feeling. In addition, the mass ratio ((B)/(A)) of the content of component (B) to the content of component (A) is 0.3 or less, preferably 0.25 or less, more preferably 0.15 or less, and even more preferably 0.08 or less, from the viewpoint of effectively reducing unpleasant odors while stably maintaining a good fragrance even after long-term storage. The mass ratio of the content of component (B) to the content of component (A) ((B)/(A)) is 0.003 or more and 0.3 or less, preferably 0.006 to 0.25, more preferably 0.01 to 0.15, and even more preferably 0.02 to 0.08.

The cleanser composition for intraoral instruments of the present invention has an l-carvone content of less than 0.0005% by mass. That is, the cleanser composition for intraoral instruments of the present invention contains less than 0.0005% by mass of l-carvone or does not contain l-carvone. Although l-carvone is known as a main component of spearmint essential oil, the present inventors have found that in a high pH range such as the cleanser composition for intraoral instruments of the present invention, it can actually induce the generation of an unpleasant odor and inhibit the maintenance of a good fragrance over a long period of time.
Therefore, in the cleanser composition for intra-oral instruments of the present invention, the content of such l-carvone is limited, thereby effectively suppressing the generation of unpleasant odors while making it possible to stably maintain the pleasant fragrance provided by component (B) not only during production and cleaning but also after long-term storage.

The content of l-carvone in the cleanser composition for intraoral instruments of the present invention is less than 0.0005% by mass, preferably 0.0001% by mass or less, more preferably 0.00005% by mass or less, and even more preferably 0.00001% by mass or less, or the cleanser composition for intraoral instruments of the present invention does not contain l-carvone.

The mass ratio of l-carvone to the content of component (B) (l-carvone/(B)) is preferably 0.2 or less, more preferably 0.02 or less, and even more preferably 0.002 or less, from the viewpoints of reducing the unpleasant odor derived from component (A), stably maintaining a good fragrance not only during production and washing but also after long-term storage, and providing a good refreshing feeling.

The cleanser composition for intraoral instruments of the present invention preferably further contains one or more fragrance compounds (C) selected from camphor, perillaldehyde, cis-3-hexenol, and cis-6-nonen-1-ol. This synergistically enhances the mint-like odor provided by l-menthone in component (B), and while ensuring an excellent denture plaque removal effect, it is possible to stably maintain a good fragrance not only during production and cleaning, but also after long-term storage. Among these components (C), from the viewpoint of further enhancing the mint-like odor while stabilizing the fragrance, one or more compounds selected from camphor, perillaldehyde, and cis-6-nonen-1-ol are preferred, and it is more preferred to use at least camphor and perillaldehyde in combination as component (C).

The content of component (C) in the cleanser composition for intraoral instruments of the present invention is preferably 0.0001% by mass or more, more preferably 0.0005% by mass or more, even more preferably 0.001% by mass or more, even more preferably 0.005% by mass or more, and even more preferably 0.01% by mass or more, from the viewpoint of effectively enhancing the fragrance and stabilizing it not only during production and cleaning but also after long-term storage. Also, the content of component (C) in the cleanser composition for intraoral instruments of the present invention is preferably 0.3% by mass or less, more preferably 0.2% by mass or less, even more preferably 0.1% by mass or less, and even more preferably 0.05% by mass or less, from the viewpoint of effectively avoiding excessive residue in the intraoral instruments after cleaning. The content of component (C) in the cleansing composition for intra-oral instruments of the present invention is preferably 0.0001 to 0.3% by mass, more preferably 0.0005 to 0.2% by mass, even more preferably 0.001 to 0.1% by mass, even more preferably 0.005 to 0.05% by mass, and even more preferably 0.01 to 0.05% by mass.

The cleanser composition for intraoral appliances of the present invention preferably further contains one or more surfactants (D) selected from anionic surfactants (d1), nonionic surfactants (d2), and amphoteric surfactants (d3) other than component (A) in order to enhance the denture plaque removal effect while also effectively stabilizing the fragrance.

Specific examples of the anionic surfactant of component (d1), which is an anionic surfactant other than component (A), include one or more selected from alkyl sulfate esters or salts thereof, such as lauryl sulfate or a salt thereof, myristyl sulfate or a salt thereof, palmityl sulfate or a salt thereof, stearyl sulfate or a salt thereof, octyl sulfate or a salt thereof, and capryl sulfate or a salt thereof; alkyl sulfonic acids or salts thereof, such as alkylbenzene sulfonic acids or salts thereof, α-olefin sulfonic acids or salts thereof, and hydroxyalkanesulfonic acids or salts thereof; acyl amino acids or salts thereof, such as acyl glutamic acids or salts thereof, and acyl sarcosines or salts thereof; N-methyl long-chain acyltaurines or salts thereof, such as lauryl methyl taurine or a salt thereof; alkyl phosphoric acids or salts thereof, such as alkyl phosphoric acids or salts thereof; higher fatty acid sulfonated monoglycerides or salts thereof, fatty acid esters of isethionic acid or salts thereof; and polyoxyethylene monoalkyl phosphoric acids or salts thereof.
Among these, from the viewpoint of effectively stabilizing the fragrance while suppressing the generation of unpleasant odors, and from the viewpoint of enhancing the denture plaque removing effect, acylamino acids or salts thereof are preferred.

Specific examples of the nonionic surfactant of component (d2) include one or more selected from polyoxyethylene hydrogenated castor oil; sucrose fatty acid esters; sorbitan fatty acid esters; glycerin fatty acid esters such as monostearate glyceride; alkyl glucosides; polyglycerin fatty acid esters such as monostearate decaglyceride and monomyristate decaglyceride; polyoxyethylene monoalkyl (or alkenyl) ethers, polyoxyethylene polyoxypropylene copolymers, polyoxyethylene alkylphenyl ethers such as polyoxyethylene nonylphenyl ether; fatty acid alkanolamides such as coconut oil fatty acid diethanolamide; and polyethylene glycol fatty acid esters.
Among these, from the viewpoint of effectively stabilizing the fragrance while suppressing the generation of unpleasant odors, and from the viewpoint of enhancing the denture plaque removing effect, polyoxyethylene monoalkyl (or alkenyl) ether, or polyoxyethylene polyoxypropylene copolymer is preferred.

Specific examples of the amphoteric surfactant of component (d3) include one or more selected from alkylamine oxides; acetate betaines such as lauryl dimethylaminoacetate betaine; imidazolinium betaines such as 2-alkyl-N-carboxymethyl-N-hydroxyethyl-N-imidazolium betaine; alkyl sulfobetaines such as lauryl sulfobetaine and lauryl hydroxysulfobetaine; coconut oil fatty acid amidoalkyl betaines such as coconut oil fatty acid amidopropyl betaine; and long-chain alkyl imidazoline betaine salts such as N-alkyl-1-hydroxyethyl imidazoline betaine sodium.
Among these, from the viewpoint of effectively stabilizing the fragrance while suppressing the generation of unpleasant odors, and from the viewpoint of enhancing the denture plaque removing effect, coconut oil fatty acid amidoalkylbetaine and alkylamine oxide are preferred.

The content of component (D) in the cleanser composition for intraoral instruments of the present invention is preferably 0.05% by mass or more, more preferably 0.1% by mass or more, and even more preferably 1% by mass or more. The content of component (D) in the cleanser composition for intraoral instruments of the present invention is preferably 20% by mass or less, more preferably 10% by mass or less, and even more preferably 8% by mass or less. The content of component (D) in the cleanser composition for intraoral instruments of the present invention is preferably 0.05% by mass or more and 20% by mass or less, more preferably 0.1 to 10% by mass, and even more preferably 1 to 8% by mass.

The cleanser composition for intra-oral instruments of the present invention preferably further contains an antioxidant (E) from the viewpoints of preventing unnecessary oxidation of each component contained therein, effectively suppressing the generation of unpleasant odors derived from component (A), and contributing to stabilization of the aroma. Examples of such component (E) include sulfites, tocopherol, gallic acid esters, dibutylhydroxytoluene, butylhydroxyanisole, ascorbic acid and its salts, ascorbic acid higher fatty acid esters, etc.
Among these, from the viewpoint of exhibiting a good antioxidant effect and suppressing the generation of unpleasant odors derived from component (A), one or more sulfites selected from sodium sulfite, potassium sulfite, ammonium sulfite, sodium hydrogensulfite, potassium hydrogensulfite, ammonium hydrogensulfite, sodium disulfite, potassium disulfite, and ammonium disulfite are preferred, and sodium sulfite or sodium hydrogensulfite is more preferred.

The content of component (E) in the cleanser composition for intraoral instruments of the present invention is preferably 0.0005% by mass or more, more preferably 0.005% by mass or more, even more preferably 0.05% by mass or more, and even more preferably 0.1% by mass or more, from the viewpoint of effectively stabilizing a good fragrance while suppressing the generation of unpleasant odors derived from component (A). The content of component (E) in the cleanser composition for intraoral instruments of the present invention is preferably 10% by mass or less, more preferably 5% by mass or less, even more preferably 1% by mass or less, and even more preferably 0.5% by mass or less, from the viewpoint of ensuring the exertion of an excellent denture plaque removal effect. The content of component (E) in the cleanser composition for intraoral instruments of the present invention is preferably 0.0005 to 10% by mass, more preferably 0.005 to 5% by mass, even more preferably 0.05 to 1% by mass, and even more preferably 0.1 to 0.5% by mass.

From the viewpoint of effectively stabilizing favorable fragrance while ensuring excellent denture plaque removal effect, the cleansing composition for intraoral instruments of the present invention preferably further contains an anionic homopolymer or copolymer (F) having a mass average molecular weight of from 2,000 to 500,000. The anionic homopolymer or copolymer is a homopolymer or copolymer containing a constituent unit derived from an anionic monomer.
Furthermore, component (F) may be a homopolymer consisting of structural units derived from only one type of anionic monomer, or may be a copolymer consisting of structural units derived from two or more types of anionic monomers, or may be a copolymer consisting of structural units derived from anionic monomers and structural units derived from monomers other than anionic monomers.

From the viewpoint of effectively enhancing the denture plaque removal effect, the mass average molecular weight of component (F) is 2000 or more, preferably 5000 or more, more preferably 8000 or more, and even more preferably 10000 or more. From the viewpoint of ensuring good solubility or dispersibility of each component, the mass average molecular weight of component (F) is 500000 or less, preferably 350000 or less, more preferably 200000 or less, and even more preferably 100000 or less. And the mass average molecular weight of component (F) is 2000 or more and 500000 or less, preferably 5000 to 350000, more preferably 8000 to 200000, and even more preferably 10000 to 100000.

From the viewpoint of greatly contributing to the exertion of the denture plaque removal effect, the anionic monomer-derived structural unit contained in component (F) is preferably a structural unit derived from an anionic monomer (f1) having a carboxyl group, a sulfo group, or a phosphate group. Specific examples of the monomer (f1) constituting component (F) include one or more selected from acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, itaconic acid, maleic acid, fumaric acid, sulfonic acid, styrenesulfonic acid, methacryloyloxyalkylsulfonic acid, methacrylamide alkylsulfonic acid, acryloyloxyalkylphosphate, and anhydrides thereof, monomers partially substituted with alkyl groups, etc., and sugar-derived monomers such as glycopyranose in which a carboxymethyl group is bonded to a portion of a hydroxyl group. Among them, a monomer not containing an aromatic ring or an alicyclic ring in the molecular structure is preferable, and one or more selected from acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, maleic acid, and sulfonic acid are more preferable.

The content of the anionic monomer-derived structural unit in 100% by mass of all structural units of component (F) is preferably 15% by mass or more, more preferably 35% by mass or more, even more preferably 50% by mass or more, and preferably 100% by mass or less, from the viewpoint of effectively ensuring the exertion of an excellent denture plaque removal effect.

Specific examples of component (F) include one or more selected from acrylic acid homopolymer, methacrylic acid homopolymer, crosslinked acrylic acid homopolymer, acrylic acid/maleic acid copolymer, acrylic acid/methacrylic acid copolymer, acrylic acid/sulfonic acid copolymer, vinyl acetate/maleic acid copolymer, phosphinic acid/acrylic acid copolymer, carboxymethylcellulose, xanthan gum, gellan gum, alginic acid, carrageenan, pectin, and hyaluronic acid. Among these, from the viewpoint of exerting an excellent denture plaque removal effect, one or more selected from acrylic acid homopolymer, acrylic acid/maleic acid copolymer, acrylic acid/methacrylic acid copolymer, and acrylic acid/sulfonic acid copolymer are preferred, one or more selected from acrylic acid/maleic acid copolymer and acrylic acid/sulfonic acid copolymer are more preferred, and acrylic acid/maleic acid copolymer is even more preferred.

The mass ratio of the constituent units derived from acrylic acid monomers to the constituent units derived from maleic acid monomers constituting the acrylic acid/maleic acid copolymer (acrylic acid/maleic acid) is preferably 0.01 to 99, more preferably 0.05 to 50, even more preferably 0.1 to 10, and even more preferably 0.1 to 5.

The content of component (F) in the cleanser composition for intraoral instruments of the present invention is preferably 0.05% by mass or more, more preferably 0.07% by mass or more, and even more preferably 0.1% by mass or more, from the viewpoint of effectively stabilizing the release of a good fragrance while ensuring an excellent denture plaque removal effect. The content of component (F) in the cleanser composition for intraoral instruments of the present invention is preferably 8% by mass or less, more preferably 6% by mass or less, and even more preferably 4% by mass or less, from the viewpoint of ensuring good solubility or dispersibility of each component. The content of component (F) in the cleanser composition for intraoral instruments of the present invention is preferably 0.05 to 8% by mass, more preferably 0.07 to 6% by mass, and even more preferably 0.1 to 4% by mass.

The cleanser composition for intraoral instruments of the present invention preferably further contains water in order to effectively disperse or dissolve the above-mentioned components, exhibit excellent denture plaque removal effects, and effectively stabilize the release of a good fragrance while reducing unpleasant odors.

The water content in the cleanser composition for intra-oral instruments of the present invention is preferably 70% by mass or more, more preferably 75% by mass or more, and preferably 98% by mass or less, more preferably 95% by mass or less.
In the present invention, water means the total water contained in the cleanser composition for intra-oral instruments, including not only purified water directly blended in the cleanser composition for intra-oral instruments, but also the water contained in each of the blended components. In addition, water in the present invention includes water that is blended in advance in the cleanser composition for intra-oral instruments, but also includes the water used for dilution or dissolution when the cleanser composition is in a state where it is diluted with water or dissolved in water before use.

The cleansing composition for intraoral appliances of the present invention may further contain a pH adjuster. This can contribute to maintaining a specific pH, described below, which is effective in ensuring that component (A) exerts an excellent denture plaque removal effect, while suppressing the generation of unpleasant odors and stabilizing a good fragrance.

Specific examples of pH adjusters include one or more selected from carbonates and bicarbonates; hydroxides; and organic acids such as citric acid, malic acid, lactic acid, tartaric acid, and succinic acid, or salts thereof. Among these, one or more selected from carbonates, bicarbonates, and hydroxides are preferred, and one or more selected from sodium carbonate, sodium hydrogen carbonate, sodium sesquicarbonate, sodium hydroxide, potassium carbonate, potassium hydrogen carbonate, potassium sesquicarbonate, and potassium hydroxide are more preferred, and one or more selected from potassium carbonate, potassium hydrogen carbonate, potassium sesquicarbonate, and potassium hydroxide are even more preferred. In this case, the content of the pH adjuster in the cleansing composition for intraoral instruments of the present invention is preferably 0.1 to 60% by mass, more preferably 0.1 to 20% by mass, even more preferably 0.15 to 10% by mass, and even more preferably 0.2 to 5% by mass, in the cleansing composition for intraoral instruments of the present invention, from the viewpoint of stabilizing the pH of the cleansing composition for intraoral instruments of the present invention.

The cleanser composition for intra-oral instruments of the present invention may contain, in addition to the above-mentioned components, appropriate amounts of, for example, anti-inflammatory agents and preservatives; fragrance compounds other than the above-mentioned component (B), 1-carvone, and component (C); pigments; colorants; bleaching agents; enzymes, etc., provided that the effects of the present invention are not impaired.
Examples of fragrance compounds other than the above-mentioned component (B), 1-carvone, and component (C) include fragrance compounds described in "Perfume and Flavor Chemicals" edited by Steffen Arctander, Montclair, NJ (USA) (1969), "Synthetic Fragrances - Chemistry and Product Knowledge" edited by the Synthetic Fragrances Editorial Committee (The Chemical Daily, December 20, 2016, revised and expanded edition), and "Basic Knowledge of Fragrances and Fragrances" edited by Nakajima Mototaka, Sangyo Tosho (first edition, 1995).

The pH of the cleanser composition for intra-oral appliances of the present invention at 25°C is 8 or more, preferably 9 or more, more preferably 10 or more, even more preferably 10.5 or more, and is 14 or less, preferably 13 or less, more preferably 12 or less, even more preferably 11 or less, from the viewpoint of effectively suppressing the generation of unpleasant odors while exerting an excellent denture plaque removal effect.

The cleanser composition for intraoral instruments of the present invention may be in the form of a liquid, foam, paste, gel, or concentrated form, and may also be in the form of a sheet impregnated with the liquid cleanser composition for intraoral instruments of the present invention, or in the form of a spray container filled with the cleanser composition for intraoral instruments of the present invention, a container equipped with a foam ejection mechanism, or an aerosol container.

In particular, the cleanser composition for intraoral appliances of the present invention is preferably in the form of a liquid or foam. To make the cleanser composition for intraoral appliances of the present invention in the form of a foam, the cleanser composition for intraoral appliances of the present invention in the form of a liquid may be filled into a container equipped with a foam discharge mechanism, and sprayed or discharged from the container at the time of use. By covering the intraoral appliance with foam, it is possible to effectively exert an excellent denture plaque removal effect, effectively suppress the generation of unpleasant odors, and stably provide a pleasant fragrance.

In particular, by filling a container equipped with a foam discharge mechanism with the cleanser composition for intraoral appliances of the present invention to form a foam and then covering an intraoral appliance with this, the cleanser composition can adequately reach every corner of the intraoral appliance, which has a complex shape, and be retained in place without dripping, thereby exerting an excellent denture plaque removal effect on intraoral appliances and appliances worn in the oral cavity, while suppressing the generation of unpleasant odors and providing a stable, pleasant fragrance for a long period of time.
As a result, by simply rinsing the intraoral appliance after application of the composition with water or the like, it is possible to achieve an excellent denture plaque removal effect while also providing a pleasant fragrance, without the need for any additional physical force such as brushing. Furthermore, even after long-term storage, the generation of unpleasant odors is effectively suppressed, and a refreshing feeling can be experienced without impairing the pleasant fragrance.

A container equipped with a foam-forming mechanism is a container that can form foam by spraying or discharging the contents filled in the container from a spray or discharge port to the outside of the container via the foam-forming mechanism. Examples of containers equipped with such a foam-forming mechanism include trigger-type spray containers and pump-type dispenser containers.

A trigger-type spray container has a container body in which the contents are filled, and a trigger and a sprayer which are foam-forming mechanisms, and when the trigger is pulled during use, the contents are sprayed to the outside from the nozzle of the sprayer to form foam. Such a trigger-type spray container may be of a direct pressure type or a pressure-accumulation type.
A pump-type dispenser container comprises a container body into which the contents are filled, a tube or nozzle, and a foam-forming mechanism such as a mesh inside these. When using the container, by pressing part of it, the contents are ejected from the outlet of the tube or nozzle to the outside, forming a foam.
When the cleansing composition for intraoral instruments of the present invention is used to clean intraoral instruments, it is preferable to use a trigger-type spray container among these containers, from the viewpoint of fully exerting the foam effect.

When using a trigger-type spray container, in order to fully utilize the foam effect, it is desirable to set the spray diameter at a spray distance of 20 cm to preferably 2 cm or more, more preferably 3 cm or more, preferably 10 cm or less, and more preferably 8 cm or less.
In addition, in a trigger-type spray container, the spray force of the cleaner composition contained therein is desirably set to preferably 1 g f or more, more preferably 3 g f or more, and preferably 10 g f or less, more preferably 8 g f or less at a spray distance of 20 cm, from the viewpoint of effectively forming foam.

The cleanser composition for intraoral instruments of the present invention is used by first immersing an intraoral instrument such as a denture in the cleanser composition for intraoral instruments, or by applying the cleanser composition to the intraoral instrument by foaming, applying, dropping or spraying, etc., and then leaving the composition for a certain period of time. The leaving time may usually be 20 to 30 minutes, and can also be shortened to 5 to 10 minutes.
Next, after leaving it for a while, the intraoral appliance is rinsed with water or the like to wash away the cleanser composition for intraoral appliances. In the case of the cleanser composition for intraoral appliances of the present invention, more preferably, it is sufficient to simply rinse it away, and there is no need to apply any additional physical force such as brushing.

When the cleanser composition for intraoral instruments of the present invention is in the form of a foam, it is used by covering an intraoral instrument such as a denture with the foamed cleanser composition for intraoral instruments and then leaving it for a certain period of time.
The time for covering the intraoral appliance with the foam is preferably 1 minute or more, more preferably 2 minutes or more, and even more preferably 3 minutes or more, from the viewpoint of fully enjoying the excellent denture plaque removal effect and formation inhibitory effect. Also, the time for covering the intraoral appliance with the foam is preferably 30 minutes or less, more preferably 20 minutes or less, and even more preferably 10 minutes or less, from the viewpoint of fully exerting the effects of the foam. And the time for covering the intraoral appliance with the foam is preferably 1 minute or more and 30 minutes or less, more preferably 2 to 20 minutes, and even more preferably 3 to 10 minutes.

The amount of foam covering the intraoral appliance is, from the viewpoint of fully utilizing the effects of the foam and fully enjoying the excellent denture plaque removal and formation inhibition effects, preferably 0.05 g or more, more preferably 0.07 g or more, and even more preferably 0.1 g or more, per ^cm2 of the surface area of the intraoral appliance, and is preferably 3.5 g or less, more preferably 3.2 g or less, and even more preferably 3 g or less.

After the intraoral appliance is covered with the formed foam, it is preferable to rinse the intraoral appliance with water to wash away the cleaner composition. When the cleaner composition for intraoral appliances of the present invention is in the form of a foam, it is possible to exert a highly rapid and excellent effect of removing denture plaque and inhibiting its formation while washing away the covering foam simply by rinsing the intraoral appliance with water without requiring any particular physical force, which reduces the burden on users such as elderly people and makes it easy to increase the frequency of use.
In addition, after the intraoral appliance is covered with the foam, it is preferable to rinse the intraoral appliance to which the composition has been applied with water without applying any additional physical force. This allows the intraoral appliance to be simply and effectively cleaned while providing an excellent refreshing feeling due to the pleasant aroma.

The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to examples. Unless otherwise indicated in the table, the content of each component is expressed as mass %.

[Examples 1 to 8, Comparative Examples 1 to 4]
According to the formulations shown in Table 1, each cleansing composition for intraoral appliances was prepared.
Next, using each of the obtained cleanser compositions for intraoral instruments, an evaluation was performed according to the method described below, from immediately after preparation to after storage for one month, in addition to evaluating the presence or absence of an unpleasant odor, to evaluate the overall odor, including the quality of the fragrance as well as the presence or absence of an unpleasant odor.
The results are shown in Table 1.

<Evaluation of the presence or absence of unpleasant odor>
Immediately after preparation, 80 mL of each intraoral appliance cleanser composition was placed in a plastic bottle (OPT-80, Takemoto Container Co., Ltd.), and the presence or absence of an unpleasant odor in the composition immediately after preparation was evaluated by one trained expert panelist in accordance with the following criteria.
Next, the compositions were stored at 50° C. for one week and one month in a thermostatic storage device, and the unpleasant odor of the compositions was evaluated in the same manner.
A: No unpleasant odor is detected B: A slight unpleasant odor is detected Z: A clear unpleasant odor is detected

<Overall fragrance evaluation>
Immediately after preparation, 80 mL of each intraoral appliance cleanser composition was placed into a plastic bottle (OPT-80, Takemoto Container Co., Ltd.), and the overall aroma of the composition immediately after preparation was evaluated by one trained expert panelist according to the following criteria.
Next, the odor of the composition was evaluated in the same manner after storing it at 50° C. for one week and after storing it for one month using a thermostatic storage device.
AAA: A mint-like refreshing scent is clearly felt. AA: A mint-like refreshing scent is felt. A: A mint-like refreshing scent is slightly felt. B: A mint-like refreshing scent is slightly felt. Z: No mint-like scent is felt.

[Example 1, Comparative Example 5]
Each of the cleansing compositions for intraoral appliances shown in Table 2 was used to evaluate the denture plaque removal effect according to the following criteria.
The results are shown in Table 2.

<Evaluation of denture plaque removal effect>
1) Preparation of Denture Plaque Model Test Solution Glycerol stocks of Streptococcus mutans JCM5705 and Candida albicans JCM1542 were streaked on an agar plate (Anaero Columbia Agar with RSB, Nippon Becton Dickinson), which was then stored in a plastic case together with a _CO2 pack under anaerobic conditions and cultured at 37°C for 48 to 72 hours. After culture, a single colony was picked up from the agar plate and placed in a cell culture flask containing 20 mL of liquid medium A (SCD medium Daigo (Nihon Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.) 3% by mass, Bacto Yeast Extract (Becton Dickinson Co., Ltd.) 0.5% by mass), and mixed. The resulting mixture was then stored in a plastic case together with a _CO2 pack under anaerobic conditions and cultured at 37°C for 24 hours.

After cultivation, the culture solution was diluted with liquid medium A to an OD of 0.5. This diluted solution was then diluted with liquid medium B (SCD medium Daigo 3 wt%, Bacto Yeast Extract 0.5 wt%, D(+)-glucose (Fuji Film Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd.) 1 mass%, sucrose (Fuji Film Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd.) 2 mass%) to an OD of 0.01 for S. mutans and an OD of 0.00001 for C. albicans. A sterilized aqueous solution of calcium chloride (Fuji Film Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd.) was then added to the solution to give a final calcium ion concentration of 40 ppm, and a denture plaque model test solution was prepared.

2) Preparation of denture plaque model A denture base plate (manufactured by Kyoyu Co., Ltd., material: polymethyl methacrylate resin, 1 cm) was placed in a 24-well plate, and 1 mL of the denture plaque model test liquid prepared in 1)-1 above was added to each well. This was then stored in a plastic case together with a _CO2 pack under anaerobic conditions and cultured at 37°C for 16 hours.

3) Evaluation of denture plaque removal effect The above-mentioned denture plaque model test liquid in the plate was sucked up using a vacuum pump, 1 mL of ion-exchanged water was added, and the plate was shaken for 5 minutes. Next, the ion-exchanged water was sucked up using a pump, and 1 mL of each composition obtained in the Examples and Comparative Examples was prepared separately in a 24-well plate. Next, the denture substrate on which the denture plaque model was formed was immersed in the prepared solution and applied, and left to stand for 3 minutes.
Shaking was performed using a shaker (BioShake iQ (manufactured by Wakembie Tech Co., Ltd.)) at room temperature (25° C.) and 550 rpm.

Thereafter, each composition was sucked up, 1 mL of ion-exchanged water was added, and the mixture was shaken for 5 minutes. The operation of adding 1 mL of ion-exchanged water and shaking for 5 minutes was repeated three times in total. Next, the ion-exchanged water was sucked up, and 750 μL of a 0.1% by mass crystal violet (CV) solution was added, and the mixture was shaken for 15 minutes.
The CV staining solution was then sucked up using a pump, 1 mL of ion-exchanged water was added, and the mixture was shaken for 5 minutes. This operation of adding 1 mL of ion-exchanged water and shaking for 5 minutes was repeated twice. Next, the ion-exchanged water was sucked up using a pump, 500 μL of ethanol was added, and the mixture was pipetted. The extract was then diluted 10-fold with ion-exchanged water, and the absorbance OD _{595 nm} was measured using a microplate recorder (TECAN, wavelength-variable absorption microplate reader, Sunrise Rainbow Thermo).

Further, the denture plaque removal rate (%) was calculated according to the following formula using the absorbance OD _{595 nm} (initial value) when ion-exchanged water was used instead of the above obtained composition as the standard.
Denture plaque removal rate (%) = 100 -
{OD _{595 nm} when the above-obtained composition is used / Instead of the above-obtained composition
_OD595nm when ion-exchanged water was used instead
The results are shown in Table 2.
The higher the denture plaque removal rate obtained, the higher the denture plaque removal effect.

The components were mixed according to the formulation example shown below to prepare the present invention (pH = 10 at 25°C). The obtained detergent composition for intraoral instruments was filled into a trigger-type spray container (spray diameter at a spray distance of 20 cm: 5 cm, spray force: set to 5 g·f) and sprayed onto dentures. The use of such detergent composition for intraoral instruments provides excellent denture plaque removal effect and can provide a good fragrance while effectively suppressing unpleasant odors derived from the detergent composition for intraoral instruments.
*1 to *4 are the same as in Table 1, and *5 is AQUALIC GH-004, mass average molecular weight 20,000, manufactured by Nippon Shokubai Co., Ltd.

[Formulation Example 1]

[Formulation Example 2]

[Formulation Example 3]

[Formulation Example 4]

[Formulation Example 5]

[Formulation Example 6]

[Formulation Example 7]

[Formulation Example 8]

[Formulation Example 9]

Claims (3)

The following components (A) to ( F ):
(A) an unsaturated fatty acid having 10 to 20 carbon atoms or a salt thereof, the amount of which is 0.5% by mass to 20% by mass in terms of fatty acid; (B) l-menthone
(C) one or two fragrance compounds selected from camphor and perylaldehyde: 0.001% by mass or more and 0.05% by mass or less
(D) Anionic surfactant: 0.05% by mass or more and 20% by mass or less (E) Sulfite: 0.0005% by mass or more and 10% by mass or less
(F) Anionic homopolymer or copolymer having a mass average molecular weight of 2,000 to 500,000: 0.05% by mass to 8% by mass
a mass ratio ((B)/(A)) of the content of component (B) to the content of component (A) is 0.01 or more and 0.15 or less; and a pH at 25°C is 8 or more and 14 or less. 2. The cleansing composition for intra-oral instruments according to claim 1, wherein the content of component (B) is 0.01% by mass or more and 0.35% by mass or less. 3. The cleansing composition for intra-oral instruments according to claim 1 or 2 , which is in the form of a liquid or foam.