the dental product of the present invention is a tooth gel / dentifrice that cleans and brightens / whitens teeth . however , the instant dental product can also be a mouth wash , a paste , a gel , a dental pack , or dental floss . it may also be used to treat gum disease . it is equally well suited to prevent caries , calculi and tartar formation as well as to help remove them . the dental product of the present invention contains acetic acid . preferably the composition also contains sodium hexametaphosphate . examples of some acids which may be used according to the present invention instead of or in addition to acetic acid are phosphoric acid , boric acid , hydrochloric acid , maleic acid , benzoic acid , citric acid , lactic acid , malic acid , oxalic acid , tartaric acid , succinic acid , glutaric acid , glycolic acid , gentisic acid , valeric acid , gallic acid , beta - resorcylic acid , acetyl salicylic acid , salicylic acid , perchloric acid , barbituric acid , sulfanilic acid , phytic acid , p - nitro benzoic acid , stearic acid , palmitic acid , oleic acid , myristic acid , lauric acid ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid ( edta ), ethylene glycol - bis { beta - aminoethyl ether }- n , n , n ′, n ′- tetraacetic acid , and diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid and the like . the most preferred salts are those of acetic acid but any pharmaceutically acceptable salts of the above acids are equally suitable in the compositions of this invention , acetic and other organic acids are present preferably in an amount ranging from about 0 . 001 % to about 5 . 0 % by weight of the total composition ; more preferably from about 0 . 01 % to about 3 . 0 %; most preferably from about 0 . 05 % to about 1 . 2 %, even more preferably from about 0 . 08 to about 1 . 0 %. the desired ph range achieved by the content of acid in the composition is between 4 and 7 inclusive . preferably , the ph is 5 . 5 ± 1 , more preferably , the ph is about 5 . 0 . in order to maintain the preferred ph range in some occasions it can be desirable to add a buffer system to the dental composition . the selection of the buffer is well known in the art and the buffer is preferably compatible with the other ingredients , that is , it should not have any negative effect on same , and should be non - toxic . the present invention successfully cleans and brightens teeth while inhibiting and reducing the growth of plaque bacteria , which is achieved when acetic acid or other equivalent organic acid is utilized in combination with conventional dental ingredients in effective concentrations to treat the oral cavity . small quantities of this unexpectedly simple and nevertheless active component is required to obtain effective inhibition of plaque and other bacteria . since low quantities of active component can be used in the compositions of this invention , the side effects associated with use of the present invention is correspondingly reduced or eliminated . microorganisms that may be eliminated by the present composition and methods include but are not limited to candida albicans , cryptococcus neoformans , aspergillus fumigatus , candida krusei , candida parapsilosis , candida tropicalis , malassezia species , trichophyton rubrum , epidermophyton species , microsporum species , sporothrix species , blastomyces dermatitidis , coccidiodes immiitis , histoplasma capsulatum , staphylococcus aureus , streptococcus faecalis , escherichia coli , pseudomonas aeruginosa , enterobacter aerogenes , klebsiella pneumoniae , staphylococcus epidermis , zanthomonus maltrophilia , acinetobacter , enterobacter cloacae , serratia marscens , listeria , monocytogenes , enterococcus faecalis , streptococcus pyogenes , streptococcus pneumonia , viridans streptococci , haemophilus influenzae , proteus mirabills , proteus vulgaris and bacterioides fragilis among many others . in one form of this invention , the composition may be a liquid such as a mouthwash or rinse . in such a composition the vehicle is typically a water - alcohol mixture . generally the ratio of water to alcohol is in the range of from about 1 : 1 to about 20 : 1 , preferably about 3 : 1 to about 20 : 1 and most preferably about 3 : 1 to about 10 : 1 by weight . the most preferred mouthwash or mouth rinse compositions comprise from 0 to about 30 % by weight alcohol , such as ethanol . the total amount of water - alcohol composition in a mouthwash composition is typically in the range from about 70 % to about 99 . 9 % by weight of the composition . the ph value of such a mouthwash composition is generally from about 4 . 0 to about 7 . 0 and preferably from about 5 to about 6 . 5 . a ph below 4 would be irritating to the oral cavity . a ph greater than 7 would result in an unpleasant feel . oral liquid compositions may also contain surface active agents in amounts up to about 5 % and fluorine - providing compounds in amounts up to about 2 % by weight of the composition . the composition also comprises chelating agents , including but not limited to , ethylenediaminetatraacetic acid , edetate sodium , edetate disodium , edetate trisodium , edetate calcium disodium , deferoxamine , ditiocarb sodium , aluminum salts , citric acid - sodium salt , gluconic acid - sodium salt , tartaric acid , sodium hexametaphosphate , anthranilic acid , phosphonate , polyacrylic acid , alkyl - diamine polyacetic acids and salts , penicillamine , pentetic acid , succimer and trientine . the preferred chelator is sodium hexametaphosphate . these chelators are especially useful in preventing and dissolving calculus build - up . surface active agents are organic materials which afford complete dispersion of the composition throughout the oral cavity . the organic surface active material may be non - ionic , amphoteric , or cationic . preferred non - ionic surface active agents include condensates of sorbitan mono - oleate with from 20 to 60 moles of ethylene oxide ( e . g ., “ tweens ” a trademark of ici united states , inc . ), condensates of ethylene oxide with propylene oxide and condensates of propylene glycol (“ pluronics ” a trademark of basf - wyandotte corp .). other suitable non - ionic surfactants are the condensation products of an alpha - olefin oxide containing 10 to 20 carbon atoms , a polyhydric alcohol containing 2 to 10 carbons and 2 to 6 hydroxyl groups and either ethylene oxide or a heteric mixture of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide . the resulting surfactants are heteric polymers having a molecular weight in the range of about 400 to about 1600 and containing 40 % to 80 % by weight of ethylene oxide , with a alpha - olefin oxide to polyhydric alcohol mole ratio in the range of about 1 : 1 to 1 : 3 . amphoteric surfactants useful in the present invention are zwitterions having the capacity to act as either an acid or a base . they are generally non - irritating and non - staining . non - limitative examples of suitable amphoteric surfactants include cocoamidopropyldimethylsultaine and cocodimethylbetaine ( commercially available from lonza chem . co . under the trade - names lonzaine cs and lonzaine 12c , respectively ). cationic surface active agents are molecules that carry a positive charge such as the quaternary ammonium compounds and are well know to those of skill in the art . a fluorine providing compound may be present in the oral compositions of this invention . these compounds may be slightly water soluble or may be fully water soluble and are characterized by their ability to release fluoride ions or fluoride containing ions in water . typical fluorine providing compounds are inorganic fluoride salts such as soluble alkali metal , alkaline earth metal , and heavy metal salts , for example , sodium fluoride , potassium fluoride , ammonium fluoride , cuprous fluoride , zinc fluoride , stannic fluoride , stannous fluoride , barium fluoride , sodium fluorosilicate , ammonium fluorosilicate , sodium fluorozirconate , sodium monofluorophosphate , aluminum mono - and difluorophosphate and fluorinated sodium calcium pyrophosphate . in an oral liquid composition such as a mouthwash , the fluorine providing compound is generally present in an amount sufficient to release up to about 0 . 15 %, preferably about 0 . 001 % to about 0 . 05 %, fluoride by weight of the composition . the compositions of this invention may be substantially solid or pasty in character such as dental cream , toothpaste , toothpowder or chewing gum . such solid or pasty oral compositions may also contain polishing materials . typical polishing materials are abrasive particulate materials having particle sizes of up to about 20 microns . nonlimiting illustrative examples include water - insoluble sodium metaphosphate , potassium metaphosphate , tricalcium phosphate , dehydrated calcium phosphate , anhydrous dicalcium phosphate , dicalcium phosphate , calcium pyrophosphate , magnesium orthophosphate , trimagnesium phosphate , calcium carbonate , alumina , aluminum silicate , zirconium silicates , silica , bentonite , and mixtures thereof . polishing materials are generally present in an amount from about 20 % to about 99 % by weight of the composition . preferably , such materials are present in amounts from about 20 % to about 75 % in toothpaste , and from about 70 % to about 99 % in toothpowder . in clear gels , a polishing agent of colloidal silica and alkali metal aluminosilicate complexes are preferred since they have refractive indices close to the refractive indices of gelling agent liquid systems commonly used in such dentifrices . the compositions of the present invention may additionally contain sweeteners , flavorants and colorants . in the instance where auxiliary sweeteners are utilized , the present invention contemplates the inclusion of those sweeteners well known in the art , including both natural and artificial sweeteners . water - soluble sweetening agents such as monosaccharides , disaccharides and polysaccharides such as xylose , ribose , glucose , mannose , galactose , fructose , dextrose , sucrose , maltose , partially hydrolyzed starch , or corn syrup solids and sugar alcohols such as sorbitol , xylitol , mannitol and mixtures thereof . without limiting to these examples , water - soluble artificial sweeteners such as the soluble saccharin salts , i . e ., sodium , or calcium saccharin salts , cyclamate salts , acesulfame - k and the like , and the free acid form of saccharin are equally suitable . other sweeteners such as dipeptide based sweeteners such as l - phenylalanine methyl ester and materials described in u . s . pat . no . 3 , 492 , 131 ( herein incorporated by reference ) and the like are equally suitable . in general , the amount of sweetener will vary with the desired amount of sweetness selected for a particular composition . this amount will normally be 0 . 01 % to about 40 % by weight . the water - soluble sweeteners are preferably used in amounts of about 5 % to about 40 % by weight , and most preferably from about 10 % to about 20 % by weight of the final composition . in contrast , the artificial sweeteners described are preferably used in amounts of about 0 . 005 % to about 5 . 0 % and most preferably about 0 . 05 % to about 2 . 5 % by weight of the final composition . these amounts are ordinarily necessary to achieve a desired level of sweetness independent from the flavor level achieved from flavorants . suitable flavorings include both natural and artificial flavors , and mints such as peppermint , citrus flavors such as orange and lemon , artificial vanilla , cinnamon , various fruit flavors and the like . in one embodiment the flavoring agent comprises cinnamon - clove beads . such beads can be additionally filled with fillers consisting of inert materials or medicinal agents such as vitamins or antibacterial agents . both individual and mixed flavors are contemplated . the flavorings are generally utilized in amounts that will vary depending upon the individual flavor , and may , for example , range in amounts of about 0 . 1 % to about 6 % by weight of the final composition . the colorants useful in the present invention , include the pigments which may be incorporated in amounts of up to about 2 % by weight of the composition . also , the colorants may include other dyes suitable for food , drug and cosmetic applications , and known as fd & amp ; c dyes and the like . the materials acceptable for the foregoing uses are preferably water - soluble . illustrative examples include the indigo dye , known as fd & amp ; c blue no . 2 , which is the disodium salt of 5 , 5 - indigotindisulfonic acid . similarly , the dye known as fd & amp ; c green no . 1 , comprises a triphenylmethane dye and is the monosodium salt of 4 -[ 4 - n - ethyl - p - sulfobenzyl amino ) diphenylmethylene ]-[ 1 -( n - ethyl - n - p - sulfoniumbenzyl )- 2 , 5 - cyclohexadie nimine ]. a full recitation of all fd & amp ; c and d & amp ; c colorants useful in the present invention and their corresponding chemical structures may be found in the kirk - othmer encyclopedia of chemical technology , 3rd edition , in volume 6 , at pages 561 - 595 , which text is accordingly incorporated herein by reference . a medicated dental floss for controlling the bacterial activity associated with gingivitis is also contemplated . the floss incorporates acetic acid which , as a result of the flossing action , is deposited to the inter - dental area of the teeth . the slow dissolution of the antimicrobial agent ensures that effective levels of medication are attained for sustained periods , thereby reducing bacterial activity . examples of making such floss are well known and are disclosed for example in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 603 , 921 herein incorporated by reference . the present invention also involves a method for treating teeth or gums to reduce plaque or gingivitis comprising applying to the surface of the teeth and / or gums the compositions of this invention as described above . the compositions can be applied to the teeth and gums by any conventional means such as brushing , spraying , painting or rinsing of the oral cavity and the like . the compositions not only cleans and brightens the teeth and retards plaque accumulation , but has been demonstrated to remove pre - existing plaque as well . additionally , the compositions show a prolonged effect on plaque accumulation following cessation of treatment for at least about one week after use . this property is especially useful in veterinary applications where animals are not necessarily treated on a daily basis , but where longer intervals of time occur between treatments . the compositions of this invention are also useful as a topical antiseptic , disinfectant or antibacterial which is applied externally to the skin around the mouth or oral cavity . the composition can be delivered in form of a cream , lotion , lip balm , lipstick , or other art - known forms of carriers . other uses and applications for compositions prepared according to the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art . preferred uses include , but are not limited to , formulations for oral use such as a mouthwash or dentifrice , mouth rinses ( including swish and swallow preparations ). other preferred formulations for topical use are contemplated which include , but are not limited to , skin sanitizers , surgical scrubs and preparations , handwashs and towlettes ; formulations for treatment of infections of the skin or mouth area in a human ; veterinary medicament for animal skin , hooves , claws , fur , or teeth ; nail paints and polishes ; skin preparations ; and footwear inserts . the following examples are presented to further illustrate this invention . the examples are intended in an illustrative sense and not in a limitative sense . the present invention includes the embodiments described and shown and any equivalents thereof . all parts and percentages are on a weight basis unless otherwise indicated . a solution of 0 . 1 % of neutral red is applied to the front teeth of each of two male adults a and b who had been using conventional commercially available dentifrice . thereafter , a similar dyeing operation is conducted one day after they began to use the dentifrice of example 1 and the plaque - stained areas before and after the use of the dentifrice of example 1 is compared . in the case of a , the stained area after the change is about only 10 % of the initial stained area indicating that the decontamination of the plaque area is about 90 %. in the case of b the decontamination of the plaque area is about 50 % superior to conventional dentifrice . these beneficial effects result from the twice - daily application of about 5 to 25 gram of the dentifrice of example 1 . similar beneficial results are obtained when a third subject rinsed the mouth with about 50 to 100 ml of mouthwash of example 4 . minimum inhibitory concentration studies are performed using the gram - negative enterobacterium pseudomonas aerugenosa ( american type culture collection # 9027 ) in accordance with the protocol for testing the bactericidal activity of antimicrobial agents ( document m26 - t of the national center for clinical and laboratory standards ). p . aeruienosa is cultured overnight at 37 ° c . in trypsin soy broth to a final density of approximately 1 × 10 8 cfu / ml ( 0 . 5 mcfarland standard ) and then diluted 1 : 10 with cation - adjusted mueller - hinton medium . 10 microliters of this bacterial culture is then added to 200 microliters of an already - prepared dilution series of the test solution ( composition of example 4 ). after a 5 minute incubation at room temperature , 10 microliters of wash test solution is plated onto a sector of a letheen - agar plate and incubated at 37 ° c . overnight . mic breakpoint is interpreted as the highest dilution for which no growth is evident . the results show that compositions of example 4 are far more effective in vitro at inhibiting the growth of p . aerugenosa than the control solution , which contains the usp benzalkonium chloride mixture . the invention has been described with respect to certain preferred embodiments but it will be understood that variations and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of this invention and the scope of the appended claims .
this invention relates to novel dental compositions and methods for preventing dental plaque and carie formation and generally for inhibiting tooth decay and brightening / whitening teeth . the compositions of this invention comprise organic acids such as acetic acid and salts thereof which can be combined with pharmaceutically acceptable carriers or diluents to be administered in the form of conventional dental compositions . the compositions of the present invention also preferably contain sodium hexametaphosphate .