# US 4,397,944 A · Compositions for diagnosis of dental caries activity

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- Number: US 4,397,944 A
- Document ID: US4397944A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 06/221,512
- Filed: 1980-12-30
- Granted: 1983-08-09
- Earliest claimed: 1979-12-31
- Assignees: Sankin Industry Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Tamotsu Komura; Masayoshi Tsunekawa; Sadayuki Yuhda
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4397944A

## CPC

- A61K 8/44: Aminocarboxylic acids or derivatives thereof, e.g. aminocarboxylic acids containing sulfur; Salts; Esters or N-acylated derivatives thereof
- A61K 8/49: containing heterocyclic compounds
- A61K 8/4926: {having six membered rings}
- A61Q 11/00: Preparations for care of the teeth, of the oral cavity or of dentures; Dentifrices, e.g. toothpastes; Mouth rinses
- C12Q 1/04: Determining presence or kind of microorganism; Use of selective media for testing antibiotics or bacteriocides; Compositions containing a chemical indicator therefor {(C12Q1/6897 takes precedence)}
- G01N 33/52: Use of compounds or compositions for colorimetric, spectrophotometric or fluorometric investigation, e.g. use of reagent paper {and including single- and multilayer analytical elements (immunological elements G01N33/54386; involving labelled immunochemicals G01N33/58; for haemoglobin or occult blood G01N33/72)}
- A61K 2800/45: Colour indicators, e.g. pH- or Redox indicators
- A61K: PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES (devices or methods specially adapted for bringing pharmaceutical products into particular physical or administering forms A61J3/00; chemical aspects of, or use of materials for deodorisation of air, for disinfection or sterilisation, or for bandages, dressings, absorbent pads or surgical articles A61L; soap compositions C11D)
- A61Q: SPECIFIC USE OF COSMETICS OR SIMILAR TOILETRY PREPARATIONS
- C12Q: MEASURING OR TESTING PROCESSES INVOLVING ENZYMES, NUCLEIC ACIDS OR MICROORGANISMS (immunoassay G01N33/53); COMPOSITIONS OR TEST PAPERS THEREFOR; PROCESSES OF PREPARING SUCH COMPOSITIONS; CONDITION-RESPONSIVE CONTROL IN MICROBIOLOGICAL OR ENZYMOLOGICAL PROCESSES
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)

## Abstract

Compositions capable of evaluating dental caries activity by making use of color reaction, which are composed of an aqueous solution containing coloring agents and water-soluble substances that are to produce an osmotic pressure higher than the physiological one on the cell membrane of cariogenic bacteria but free from any buffer action by themselves. Upon introducing dental plaque of a dental caries patient into this solution and thus measuring activity of the sordes by means of color reaction, it is possible to evaluate readily the status praesens of dental caries and its activity without any cultivation of cariogenic bacteria being required.

## Claims

### Claim 1

Compositions for diagnosis of dental caries activity consisting essentially of: an aqueous solution of water-soluble substances selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol and polyethylene glycol, said water-soluble substances being present in an amount effective to produce an osmotic pressure higher than the physiological one on the cell membrane of cariogenic bacteria present in dental plaque, and yet free from any buffer action by themselves; and at least one coloring agent giving different colors at pH in the range of 7.5-5.0.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

Compositions according to claim 1 in which the water-soluble substance is polyvinyl alcohol and its concentration in said aqueous solution is 0.1-1%.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

Compositions according to claim 1, in which the water-soluble substance is polyethylene glycol and its concentration in said aqueous solution is 5-50%.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

Compositions according to claim 1, in which said at least one coloring agent is bromothymol blue, methyl red, China blue or alizarin blue.

### Claim 5

Compositions for diagnosis of dental caries activity consisting essentially of: an aqueous solution of water-soluble substances selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol and polyethylene glycol, said water-soluble substances being present in an amount effective to produce an osmotic pressure higher than the physiological one on the cell membrane of cariogenic bacteria present in dental plaque, and yet free from any buffer action by themselves; an antibiotic and/or antiseptic combined with the aqueous solution containing the water-soluble substances; and at least one coloring agent giving different colors at pH in the range of 7.5-5.0.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

A method for the diagnosis of dental caries activity, comprising introducing dental plaque into the composition of claim 1, and measuring the pH of the resultant mixture, wherein decreased pH values are indicative of increased dental caries activity.