Plaque formation at healthy and inflamed gingival sites in young individuals

The present investigation was performed to evaluate the influence of gingivitis on the amount of de novo plaque that forms during a 24-h period of no oral hygiene. 292 fully dentate subjects participated in the study. The condition of the gingiva and the presence of supragingival plaque were examined at 4 surfaces of each tooth at a baseline examination. Following this examination, the participants were subjected to a comprehensive mechanical tooth cleaning and instructed to refrain from tooth cleaning measures during the subsequent 24 h. The plaque examinations were repeated at the end of the 24-h period. The results from the clinical trial revealed that during a 24-h period of no tooth cleaning, subjects with naturally occurring overt gingivitis, in general, formed more plaque than young individuals with healthy gingivae. Furthermore, plaque in all parts of the dentition, formed more frequently on tooth surfaces adjacent to sites with gingivitis than at healthy sites. It was concluded that the condition of the gingiva plays an important role for de novo plaque formation.