Evaluation of tongue coating indices.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to determine inter-examiner reproducibility of two modified Winkel tongue coating indices and to study the relationship between each of these two indices and the amount of tongue coating as determined by wet weight of scrapings from the dorsum of the tongue.


METHODS
Twenty-five participants were selected for the study from among dental students. The selection was made to assure that a wide range of degrees of tongue coating were represented. Two independent examiners scored the tongue coatings using the two modified Winkel tongue coating indices (mWTCI 1 + 2 and mWTCI 2). After completion of index recordings, tongue scrapings were performed by one of the examiners.


RESULTS
Inter-examiner reproducibility of mWTCI 1 + 2 and mWTCI 2 using Pearson's coefficients of correlation amounted to r = 0.48 and 0.93 respectively. Overall, mWTCI 2 showed higher correlations to wet weight of tongue scrapings than mWTCI 1 + 2.


CONCLUSIONS
The mWTCI 2 was found to be highly reproducible and also valid as related to wet weight of tongue scrapings. This index would seem suitable for further studies on tongue coatings; effect of tongue cleaning; and rate of reformation of coatings after cleaning.
Lundgren
T
T
Department of Periodontics, School of Dentistry, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, USA. tord.lundgren@ucsf.edu
Mobilia
A
A
Hallström
H
H
Egelberg
J
J
D000328:Adult; D001419:Bacteria / Q000166:cytology; D001773:Blood Cells / Q000473:pathology; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015588:Observer Variation; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014059:Tongue / Q000473:pathology*