Supragingival plaque removal with and without dentifrice: a randomized controlled clinical trial

Abstract

The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of dental plaque removal by brushing with and without conventional dentifrice. Twenty-four students aged 17 to 28 years participated in this randomized controlled clinical trial. Quadrants 1-3 or 2-4 were randomly allocated to the test group (brushing without dentifrice) or control group (brushing with dentifrice). After 72 h of cessation of oral hygiene, Quigley & Hein (Turesky) plaque index was assessed before and after brushing by a calibrated and blind examiner. Overtime and intergroup comparisons were performed by Student's paired sample t-test at 5% significance level. The results showed that both groups after toothbrushing presented statistically significant reductions in plaque, with no differences between them (from 3.06 ± 0.54 to 1.27 ± 0.26 versus from 3.07 ± 0.52 to 1.31 ± 0.23). A separate analysis of the buccal and lingual aspects also showed no significant differences between groups. It may be concluded that the use of a conventional dentifrice during toothbrushing does not seem to enhance plaque removal capacity.

Bacterial diversity in the saliva of patients with different oral hygiene indexes

“…The knowledge and description of the bacterial genera found in the human oral cavity are paramount to form a base that sustains the study of the participation of these microorganisms in the ecology and pathology of the stomatognathic system, despite the role of dental plaque on the etiology of caries and periodontal diseases is well established in literature (24). The detection of microorganisms considered as nonculturable in the oral cavity indicates that many phylotypes are still unknown, which may reflect in an incomplete identification of the etiological agents of many oral diseases, considering that many are of polymicrobial origin (2), or are made up of commensal microorganisms with no pathological characteristic.…”

Self-reported oral hygiene practices with emphasis on frequency of tooth brushing

“…Research on oral hygiene has focused mostly on frequency of tooth brushing, bypassing oral hygiene aids that can contribute to improving the control of dentobacterial plaque. [ 7 , 8 ] Oral hygiene is a relevant topic for oral public health. Specifically, toothbrushing is one of the public health actions that is recommended by national and international organizations to preserve and maintain oral health at all ages.…”

Aloe vera herbal dentifrices for plaque and gingivitis control: a systematic review

“…However, in an average individual, compliance with tooth brushing tends to decrease and needs constant reinforcement (Wara‐aswapati et al , ). Although some studies have supported (Eid and Talic, ; Almajed, ) and even questioned (Parizotto et al , ; Zanatta et al , ) the role of dentifrices as adjuncts to tooth brushing, the addition of antiplaque/antimicrobial chemicals like triclosan with copolymer/zinc citrate and fluoride into dentifrice preparations is being done to improve the efficacy of self‐performed mechanical tooth‐cleaning procedures (Davies et al , ; Paraskevas and van der Weijden, ).…”