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Updated: Mar 26, 2026
A Mouse Model for Pathogen-induced Chronic Inflammation at Local and Systemic Sites
Published on: August 8, 2014
Effect of self-performed mechanical plaque control frequency on gingival inflammation revisited: a randomized
Guilherme Camponogara de Freitas1, Tatiana Militz Perrone Pinto1, Alessandra Pascotini Grellmann1
1Division of Periodontology, Department of Stomatology, School of Dentistry, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Brazil.
Aim:
To evaluate the effect of self-performed mechanical plaque control (SPC) frequency on gingival health.
Methods:
Thirty-nine subjects exhibiting limited gingival inflammation and minimal clinical attachment loss were enrolled in a single-blind, parallel group, randomized clinical trial. The subjects that were divided into three groups were tasked to perform SPC (using tooth brush and dental floss) at 12, 24 or 48 h intervals. Gingival index (GI), plaque index (PlI), and gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) volume were evaluated at baseline and 30 days follow-up. Groups were compared using anova and Tukey.
Results:
No significant differences in mean GI change were observed between the 12 and 24 h SPC intervals from baseline to 30 days (-0.06 ± 0.13 versus 0.05 ± 0.09; p = 0.11). In contrast, the 48 h interval had significantly higher mean GI change than the 12 and 24 h intervals (0.33 ± 0.17; p = 0.001). Similarly, mean PlI change was not significantly different between the 12 and 24 h SPC intervals (0.11 versus 0.28; p = 0.15), whereas SPC at 48 h-intervals yielded a significantly increased PlI (0.39; p = 0.001).
Conclusions:
Self-performed mechanical plaque control performed at 12 h or 24 h intervals appears sufficient to maintain gingival health in subjects with no or limited clinical attachment loss.
