摘要 |
A dental floss brush made from a reverse twisted, high tenacity nylon yarn comprising at least two thread sections having diameters, in their relaxed state, of at least 2.5 min. The thread sections are separated by a floss brush section integral therewith having a diameter of from up to 4 mm in its relaxed state and a diameter of from 1.7 to 3.0 mm under a tension of 0.05N. The brush floss has a breaking strength of at least 5N. The floss brush section can be coated with a low melting wax composition, optimally a polyethylene glycol ester of beeswax alone or in combination with a flavoring oil, silicone oil lubricant or mixtures thereof. This product is made by coating a reverse twisted, high tenacity nylon yarn with a solution of polymer in a volatile solvent, the polymer being selected from the group consisting of nylon, polyurethane and mixtures thereof. Then the solvent is selectively vaporized from thread portions of the yarn while preventing significant vaporization of solvent from brush portions of the yarn, while the yarn is maintained under a tension of from 0.15 to 1N. The brush portions of the yarn are steam treated while the yarn is under a tension of approximately zero until the brush portions of the yarn have regained at least 100 percent of the diameter of the uncoated, relaxed yarn. Residual solvent is then removed from the brush portions of the yarn while the yarn is under a tension of approximately zero. |