Randomised clinical study of plaque removal efficacy of a power toothbrush in a paediatric population
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Published on: December 31, 2017
Esti Davidovich1, Renzo Alberto Ccahuana-Vasquez2, Hans Timm2
1Hebrew University, Hadassah, Jerusalem, Israel.
Insights
This study found that oscillating-rotating power toothbrushes significantly improve plaque removal in children compared to manual toothbrushes. Power toothbrush use is recommended for better oral hygiene in pediatric patients.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Dentistry
- Dental Hygiene
- Clinical Trials
Background:
- Limited research exists on the plaque removal effectiveness of power toothbrushes in children.
- Assessing pediatric oral hygiene practices is crucial for long-term dental health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the plaque removal efficacy of an oscillating-rotating power toothbrush against a manual toothbrush in children aged 8-11.
- Evaluate the effectiveness of different toothbrushing modalities in a pediatric population.
Main Methods:
- A randomized, examiner-blinded, crossover clinical trial was conducted with 41 children (mean age 9.0 years).
- Participants used both an oscillating-rotating power toothbrush and a manual toothbrush with fluoride toothpaste under supervision.
- Plaque levels were assessed using the Turesky Modification of the Quigley-Hein Plaque Index before and after brushing.
Main Results:
- Both power and manual toothbrushes significantly reduced plaque compared to baseline (P < 0.001).
- The oscillating-rotating power toothbrush demonstrated significantly greater plaque removal than the manual toothbrush in both permanent and mixed dentitions (P < 0.001).
- High inter-examiner reliability was observed for pre-brushing plaque assessments.
Conclusions:
- An oscillating-rotating power toothbrush offers superior plaque reduction in children compared to manual toothbrushes.
- Power toothbrush use may be a more effective strategy for improving oral hygiene in pediatric populations.
Background:
Clinical investigations of plaque removal efficacy of power toothbrushes in children are limited.
Aim:
To compare plaque removal of a power versus manual toothbrush in a paediatric population.
Design:
This was a randomised, replicate-use, single-brushing, examiner-blinded, two-treatment, four-period crossover clinical trial in children 8-11 years of age. Subjects were randomly assigned to a treatment sequence involving an oscillating-rotating power toothbrush and a manual toothbrush control. Subjects brushed under supervision with a NaF dentifrice. Plaque was assessed pre- (baseline) and post-brushing using the Turesky Modification of the Quigley-Hein Plaque Index by two examiners. Plaque scores were averaged for mixed and permanent dentition on a per-subject basis and analysed using a mixed-model ancova for a crossover design.
Results:
Forty-one subjects (mean 9.0 years) were randomised and completed the trial. Both the power brush and manual brush provided statistically significant mean plaque reductions versus baseline in all analyses (P < 0.001). For both examiners, plaque removal was significantly (P < 0.001) larger for the power brush in permanent and mixed dentitions. The interexaminer correlations for the permanent dentition were strong (ICC = 0.68-0.88) for pre-brushing plaque across all periods.
Conclusions:
An oscillating-rotating power toothbrush provided superior plaque reduction versus a manual toothbrush in children.
