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.…”

Clinical Assessment of Plaque Removal Using a Novel Dentifrice Containing Cellulose Microfibrils

“…Given these considerations, it is not surprising that numerous studies have demonstrated that dentifrices are ineffective in improving the action of the toothbrush in mechanically removing plaque biofilm [7][8][9][10][11][12][13]. The 2016 systematic review undertaken by Valkenburg et al [13] included 20 comparisons of toothbrushing with a dentifrice compared to brushing without a dentifrice.…”

“…While toothbrushing has value for preventing dental plaque-induced oral diseases [3][4][5], many patients struggle with effectively performing mechanical tooth cleaning [6], and this has prompted the development of powered brush technologies, and enhancements to the formulation of fluoride dentifrices. Despite such improvements, it is common for patients to have dental plaque deposits remaining in most regions of the dentition upon the completion of a toothbrushing episode [7][8][9][10][11][12][13].…”

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.…”