Clinical evaluation of the effects of a sonic toothbrush with ultrasound waveguide in disrupting plaque with and without bristle contact.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the in vivo plaque removal efficacy of the newly marketed sonic/ultrasonic toothbrush. Plaque removal resulting from the toothbrush being held approximately 3 mm from the tooth surface was compared versus a no brushing control. Also, plaque removal resulting from the brush being used according to the manufacturer's instructions was compared versus a control of using the brush (with power turned off) like a manual toothbrush would be used.


METHODS
This was a replicate use, four-treatment, examiner-blind, randomized, eight-period crossover design single brushing plaque study involving 31 subjects. The four treatment regimens consisted of (1) brushing for 2 minutes with the Ultreo powered toothbrush according to manufacturer's instructions, (2) brushing for 2 minutes with the Ultreo toothbrush (power turned off) using the brush like a manual toothbrush, (3) having a trained dental hygienist hold the Ultreo toothbrush head 3 mm from tooth surfaces for a total of 2 minutes, or (4) swishing with a dentifrice slurry for 1 minute in the absence of toothbrushing. For each subject, an experienced, calibrated plaque examiner performed the Turesky Modified Quigley-Hein Plaque Index prior to brushing and following brushing. The difference (baseline minus post-regimen) in average scores was calculated for each subject. The difference scores were analyzed for treatment regimen differences using a mixed model ANCOVA (with baseline whole-mouth average score as the covariate and subjects considered random) for a crossover design.


RESULTS
Adjusted mean plaque removal scores (baseline plaque score minus post-brushing plaque score) were 0.052 for swishing with a dentifrice slurry, 0.058 for the dental hygienist holding the Ultreo toothbrush approximately 3 mm from tooth surfaces, 0.536 for the Ultreo toothbrush used according to manufacturer's instructions and 0.666 for the Ultreo toothbrush (power turned off) used like a manual toothbrush. The difference between the Ultreo toothbrush held approximately 3 mm from tooth surfaces and swishing with a dentifrice slurry was not statistically significant (P = 0.808). The adjusted mean plaque removal score for the Ultreo toothbrush (power turned off) used like a manual toothbrush was statistically significantly (P < 0.001) greater than the corresponding score for the Ultreo toothbrush used per manufacturer's instructions. Ultreo used like a manual toothbrush had an adjusted mean plaque removal score that was 12.4% greater than that for Ultreo used per manufacturer's instructions. Finally, plaque removal scores for the Ultreo toothbrush used per manufacturer's instructions and used like a manual toothbrush were statistically significantly (P < 0.001) greater than plaque removal scores for the non-brushing treatment regimens.
Biesbrock
Aaron R
AR
Procter & Gamble Company, Mason, OH 45040, USA. biesbrock.ar@pg.com
He
Tao
T
Walters
Patricia A
PA
Bartizek
Robert D
RD
D000328:Adult; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D003774:Dental Plaque Index; D003802:Dentifrices / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012824:Silicic Acid; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D012969:Sodium Fluoride / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013010:Sonication / Q000295:instrumentation*; D013997:Time Factors; D014099:Toothbrushing / Q000295:instrumentation*; D014100:Toothpastes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014464:Ultrasonic Therapy
D003802:Dentifrices; D014100:Toothpastes; C546060:hydrated silica gel-based toothpaste; D012824:Silicic Acid; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D012969:Sodium Fluoride