| 摘要 |
This invention is an apparatus (10) for cleaning the surface of teeth in a human mouth having a flexible, resilient central flossing filament (34), and a plurality of flexible side flossing filaments (42) fixedly attached to a central filament intermediate portion (40). The central filament intermediate (40), and free end portions with the side flossing filaments (42) attached thereto are sized to be received between adjacent teeth without traversing any contact areas between the adjacent teeth from at least the front of the mouth. The central filament (34) has sufficient flexibility, and the resiliency to effect a first flossing action between the adjacent teeth by imparting a first flossing motion to the central filament. The side filaments have sufficient flexibility to effect a second flossing action between the adjacent teeth at the forward, and rearward surfaces thereof to impart a second flossing motion to the side filaments. An electric motor (24) is coupled to the central filament base portion to provide a rotational or an oscillatory drive to the central filament base portion to impart the first, and second flossing motions. The central filament (34) has greater resiliency than the side filaments (42). The side filaments (42) have greater flexibility than the central filament (34), and are sufficiently flexible to bend back adjacent the central filament upon insertion between the adjacent teeth. Upon a drive force being applied thereto through the central filament the side filaments whip or flail about, and in one embodiment are rotated to spin about the longitudinal driven axis of the central filament.
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