[The effect of brush stimulation on the keratinization of the gingival epithelium]

During a prolonged tooth-cleaning experiment extending over 6 weeks, using "multitufted" and "space-tufted" brushes on mini-pigs it was shown that significant thickening in all epithelial layers and in the total epithelium occurred in the area of the "attached" gingiva in comparison to the control side. These results were obtained by histological means, measuring the thickness of individual epithelial layers and total thickness with a semi-automatic picture analysing apparatus. Both brushes investigated showed no essential differences in the histological picture. Clinical evaluation however gives preference to the "multitufted" toothbrush over the "space-tufted" brush on the basis of better tissue tolerance.