title: Dental plaque removal efficacy of three toothbrushes with different designs: A comparative analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to compare dental plaque removal efficacy of three manual toothbrushes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three toothbrushes (Colgate Flexível - Colgate (T1), Oral B Advantage Control Grip - Oral B (T2), Comfort Clean - Johnson & Johnson - Reach (T3) were evaluated for dental plaque removal in 17 subjects. Dental plaque was scored before and after seven days' use of each toothbrush, employing an adaptation of Quigley-Hein Index modified by Turesky (Plaque Index). Assessments were performed at days 0, 7, 14, 21, 28, and 35. At the end of the trial each subject was asked which toothbrush was preferred.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Final dental plaque scores for toothbrush T3 were statistically different from toothbrushes T1 and T2, which in turn did not differ from each other. Subjects showed preference towards toothbrush T3.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Toothbrush T3 was more efficient in terms of dental plaque removal when compared with toothbrushes T2 and T1.
authors.affiliation: School of Dentistry of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Brazil. catirapelli@forp.usp.br
authors.forename: Camila
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tirapelli
authors.forename: José Ferreira
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: de Carvalho
authors.forename: José Paulo
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Ribas
authors.forename: Heitor
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Panzeri
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000628:therapy*; D003774:Dental Plaque Index; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D014099:Toothbrushing / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000523:psychology