Clinical assessment of extrinsic stain removal efficacy with a new Pulsonic toothbrush.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the extrinsic stain removal benefit of two different power toothbrushes: an experimental Oral-B Pulsonic rechargeable toothbrush and a positive control Sonicare FlexCare toothbrush.


METHODS
This was a randomized, positive-controlled, examiner-blind, two-treatment, parallel group, two-week study. A Lobene stain index was performed at baseline on the facial surfaces of the anterior teeth. Subjects were randomized to one of two treatment groups: Pulsonic or FlexCare. Both groups were assigned the same fluoride dentifrice, and were instructed to brush their teeth twice per day for two minutes with the assigned toothbrush and dentifrice in front of a mirror. A further Lobene stain index was performed following two weeks of brushing.


RESULTS
A highly significant reduction (p < 0.001) in mean Lobene composite scores after two weeks was found for both the Pulsonic treatment group and the FlexCare treatment group (median reduction of 94.4% and 90.7%, respectively). Both treatment groups also showed a highly significant (p < 0.001) reduction in extent and intensity scores. No significant treatment group differences were seen in the reduction in mean Lobene scores (p > 0.1).


CONCLUSIONS
Both the experimental Pulsonic and the positive control FlexCare power toothbrushes showed highly effective stain removal efficacy relative to baseline following two weeks of brushing. Stain removal efficacy did not differ significantly between brushes.
Terézhalmy
Géza T
GT
The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, TX, USA.
He
Tao
T
Walters
Patricia A
PA
Grender
Julie M
JM
Biesbrock
Aaron R
AR
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D045424:Complex Mixtures; D003802:Dentifrices; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012824:Silicic Acid; D014075:Tooth Discoloration / Q000628:therapy*; D014099:Toothbrushing / Q000295:instrumentation*; D014100:Toothpastes; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D045424:Complex Mixtures; D003802:Dentifrices; D014100:Toothpastes; C546060:hydrated silica gel-based toothpaste; D012824:Silicic Acid