Stain Removal Assessment of Two Manual Toothbrushes with an Interproximal Tooth Stain Index

Area of Science:

• Dental hygiene
• Preventive dentistry
• Oral health research

Background:

• Dental stain is a common aesthetic concern.
• Accurate measurement of stain, especially in interproximal areas, is crucial for evaluating oral hygiene efficacy.
• Existing indices may not fully capture stain in hard-to-reach regions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a novel Interproximal Modified Lobene Stain Index for measuring interproximal tooth stain.
• To compare the stain removal efficacy of two distinct manual toothbrushes: Oral-B Pulsar (OBP) and Colgate Whitening (CW).

Main Methods:

• A two-week, randomized, examiner-blind, parallel-group clinical trial was conducted.
• Participants with an average Modified Lobene Stain Index of ≥ 1.5 were enrolled.
• Stain was assessed at baseline and after two weeks using the Modified Lobene Stain Index and the new Interproximal Modified Lobene Stain Index.

Main Results:

• Both OBP and CW toothbrushes demonstrated statistically significant reductions in tooth stain from baseline.
• Median stain reductions were 78% (OBP) and 60% (CW) by Modified Lobene Stain Index.
• The Interproximal Modified Lobene Stain Index showed higher median stain removal percentages: 92% (OBP) and 83% (CW) for interproximal sites.

Conclusions:

• Both manual toothbrushes are effective for stain removal, including in interproximal areas.
• The Interproximal Modified Lobene Stain Index provides clinically relevant and consistent results compared to the traditional index.
• The new index successfully assesses stain in difficult-to-reach interproximal regions.