title: Three-month assessment of safety and efficacy of two electric toothbrushes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This randomised, examiner-blind parallel group study was designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a rechargeable oscillating/pulsating toothbrush (Oral-B ProfessionalCare 7000, Oral-B Laboratories; PC 7000) and a battery-operated toothbrush (Crest SpinBrush Pro, Procter & Gamble Company; SBP) in the reduction of gingivitis, bleeding and plaque over a 3-month period.
  
  
  METHODS
  After 12-18 hours of no oral hygiene, subjects had oral tissue examinations, and gingival and plaque assessments to determine eligibility in the study. Subjects were stratified and randomised into treatment groups based on initial whole mouth mean plaque (Turesky modification of Quigley Hein Plaque Index) and gingivitis (Löe & Silness Gingival Index) scores and gender. Subjects were instructed to brush twice daily with their assigned toothpaste and toothbrush. Clinical parameters were assessed at baseline, and after 1 and 3 months of use. Within treatment comparisons from baseline were analysed using t-test; between treatment comparisons were analysed using ANOVA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data were obtained from 92 subjects (PC 7000 n=45; SBP n=47). No significant differences were found in baseline plaque, gingivitis and bleeding between groups. Both treatment groups had significant reductions from baseline in plaque, gingivitis and bleeding scores. PC 7000 demonstrated significantly greater reductions compared to SBP in whole mouth plaque at 1 month: 0.39 +/- 0.43 vs. 0.16 +/- 0.42 and 3 months: 0.32 +/- 0.48 vs. 0.04 +/- 0.41. PC 7000 also demonstrated significant reductions compared to SBP in gingivitis at 3 months for whole mouth: 0.14 +/- 0.09 vs. 0.10 +/- 0.10 and approximal areas: 0.11 +/- 0.08 vs. 0.08 +/- 0.09. There were no significant differences between toothbrushes in bleeding at either time point: Safety examinations revealed no apparent difference in soft and hard tissue abnormalities between groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The PC 7000 toothbrush demonstrated significantly greater reductions in plaque and gingivitis compared to the SPB over a 3-month period.
authors.affiliation: New Institutional Service Company, Inc., 555 Tilton Road, Northfield, NJ, USA.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Cronin
authors.forename: W Z
authors.initials: WZ
authors.lastname: Dembling
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Cugini
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Warren
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000628:therapy*; D004560:Electricity; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D004869:Equipment Safety; D005260:Female; D005891:Gingivitis / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013997:Time Factors; D014099:Toothbrushing / Q000295:instrumentation*