[Plaque reduction by means of "multi-tuft" brushes connected to electric toothbrushes]

In 20 patients the plaque-removing properties of two toothbrushes were tested which work on the principle of an electric swing toothbrush. Brush A was of space-tufted type, brush B of multi-tufted type. The test ran for 14 days for each toothbrush. The study showed that the multi-tufted brush achieved a 30 to 50% better plaque reduction, measured on all tooth surfaces. When considering individual tooth surfaces it was shown that approximal surfaces were less well cleaned than the facial or oral surfaces. After a fortnight the cleaning power of both brushes was reduced. In spite of better plaque reduction by the multi-tufted type of brush the hand tooth brush by instructed patients is to be preferred.