Evaluating the Clinical Efficacy of Tooth Powder on Plaque-Induced Gingivitis: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Toothpastes and tooth powders are common oral care products used to control plaque and other deposits from tooth surfaces, thereby reducing gingivitis. This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of tooth powder in controlling dental plaque and gingivitis. A double-blind, parallel-arm, randomized controlled trial was conducted on 154 participants, aged 33 to 40 years, having at least 20 teeth with a full-mouth gingival index (GI) score ≥ 1.04 and fulfilling other inclusion/exclusion criteria. The plaque index (PI) and GI scores were used as measures of oral hygiene. Outcome variables of gingivitis and dental plaque were evaluated in test and control groups randomized with 1:1 ratio at 4, 12, and 24 weeks of follow-up. Repeated measure analysis of variance (ANOVA), t test, and paired t test were used for statistical analysis with a significance level of ≤ 0.050. One hundred and thirty-seven (N = 137) participants completed the study. Demographic and oral clinical parameters showed no statistical difference between the test group and the control group at baseline. A statistically significant difference (P ≤ .033) between the test group and the control group was observed for dental PI and GI scores at follow-up examinations. The repeated measure ANOVA also revealed a significant group interaction (P ≤ .01) for a reduction in outcome variables. From the current study, it may be concluded that tooth powder has been shown to be statistically superior to toothpastes in controlling dental plaque and gingivitis.