Using two types of electric toothbrush and one type of conventional manual toothbrush, we compared their effectiveness in plaque removal by region as well as by tooth surface, to determine which type of brush is most appropriate for a particular patient and a particular region. The subjects of this study were a total of 11 persons comprised of paramedical personnel of this department and dental undergraduates. They were clinically healthy with no serious gingival problems. The subjects were asked to brush their teeth with each one of the three types of brush for two weeks running; then another type of brush for two more weeks for a total of six weeks. After each two -week trial period ended, plaque deposits were measured and examined in terms of the Plaque Index (Sillnes & Löe, 1967: PlI). For convenience, the oral cavity area was divided into six regions and plaque scores were scrutinized site by site. It was found that there were no statistically significant differences in the Plaque Index between the three different types of toothbrush as a whole. However, the use of electric brushes produced desirable results in the subjects whose plaque indices were notably high when they used the manual brush. For certain specific regions and tooth surfaces, the electric toothbrushes were more effective than the manual brush. These findings suggest that for those patients who are poor at removing plaques thoroughly with a manual toothbrush the use of an electric toothbrush should be recommended.
Post time: Jan-10-2023
