Clinical study on the plaque-removing ability of a new triple-headed toothbrush

J Clin Periodontol. 1999 May;26(5):281-5. doi: 10.1034/j.1600-051x.1999.260503.x.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the plaque removing ability of a new toothbrush with a u-shaped head (Superbrush) compared to a conventional manual toothbrush (Elmex) and an electric toothbrush with a rotating head (Braun Plak control). 36 healthy volunteers, aged 6-60 years, participated in this single blind cross-over study. They were randomly assigned to 3 groups (A, B, C) with 12 participants each. To obtain a plaque-free condition at the baseline, professional toothcleaning was performed in each participant. After instructions on how to use the toothbrushes, each group started the experiment with a different type of toothbrush. After 1 week of application, the Quigley-Hein plaque index (QHI) and the proximal plaque index (API) were used to assess the oral hygiene status of each participant. This was followed by 1 week of recess before each group switched to the next type of toothbrush. The duration of the study was 5 weeks. All examinations were performed by 1 examiner. Compared to the 2 other brushes, the Superbrush was more effective in removing plaque (medians of QHI: 0.84 versus 1.56 (Elmex) and 1.56 (Braun); p<0.001; medians of API: 0.69 versus 0.94 (Elmex) and 0.87 (Braun); p<0.001). The study indicated that the new toothbrush may be an effective alternative to commonly used toothbrushes.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Comparative Study
  • Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Child
  • Cross-Over Studies
  • Dental Plaque / therapy*
  • Dental Plaque Index
  • Dental Prophylaxis
  • Equipment Design
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Observer Variation
  • Oral Hygiene
  • Oral Hygiene Index
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Single-Blind Method
  • Toothbrushing / instrumentation*