Efficacy of two different toothbrush heads on a sonic power toothbrush compared to a manual toothbrush on established gingivitis and plaque.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of a power toothbrush with distinct multi-directional cleaning action using two different heads (Colgate ProClinical C200 toothbrush with either a triple clean head or a sensitive head) as compared to a manual flat-trim toothbrush (Oral B Indicator toothbrush) on supragingival plaque and established gingivitis. METHODS: This examiner-blind, randomized, controlled, three-treatment, parallel-group clinical research study assessed plaque removal via the comparison of pre- to post-brushing after a single use and again after four weeks of use, using the Rustogi Modified Navy Plaque Index. This study also assessed gingivitis at four weeks using the Löe-Silness Gingival Index. Qualifying adult male and female subjects from the central New Jersey, USA area reported to the study site after refraining from any oral hygiene procedures for 24 hours, and from eating, drinking, and smoking for four hours. Following an examination for plaque and gingivitis, they were randomized into three balanced groups. Subjects were instructed to brush their teeth for two minutes under supervision with their assigned toothbrush and a commercially available toothpaste (Colgate Cavity Protection toothpaste), after which they were again evaluated for plaque. Subjects were dismissed from the study site with the toothpaste and their assigned toothbrush to use at home twice daily for the next four weeks. They reported to the study site after four weeks of product use, at which time they were evaluated for plaque and gingivitis. RESULTS: One hundred twenty (120) enrolled subjects complied with the protocol and completed the clinical study. The results of the study indicated that all three test products provided statistically significant reductions in pre-brushing to post-brushing plaque scores for whole mouth and interproximal sites after a single use. For gingival margin plaque sites, only the Colgate ProClinical C200 toothbrush, with either the triple clean head or the sensitive head, provided statistically significant reductions in pre- to post-brushing plaque scores. After four weeks of product use, all three test products provided statistically significant reductions in baseline to four-week whole mouth and interproximal site plaque scores, but only the Colgate ProClinical C200 toothbrush, with either the triple clean head or the sensitive head, provided a statistically significant reduction in plaque scores at gingival margin sites. All three test products provided statistically significant reductions in gingival and gingivitis severity index scores after four weeks of product use. Relative to the manual toothbrush group, after a single tooth brushing the Colgate ProClinical C200 toothbrush, with either the triple clean head or sensitive head, provided statistically significantly greater reductions in whole mouth plaque index scores (51.9% and 59.3%, respectively), in gingival margin plaque index scores (700% and 650%, respectively), and interproximal plaque index scores (64.2% and 60.4%, respectively). Relative to the manual toothbrush group, after four weeks of use the Colgate ProClinical C200 toothbrush, with either the triple clean head or sensitive head, provided statistically significantly greater reductions in whole mouth plaque index scores (78.6%, and 82.1%, respectively), in gingival margin plaque index scores (3700% and 3400%, respectively), and interproximal plaque index scores (50.8% and 52.5%, respectively). Relative to the manual toothbrush group, after four weeks of use the Colgate ProClinical C200 toothbrush, with either the triple clean head or sensitive head, provided statistically significantly greater reductions in gingival index scores of 900% and 833%, respectively, and in gingivitis severity index scores of 466.7% and 600%, respectively. All statistically significant reductions were at the p ≤ 0.05 level. There were no statistically significant differences between the scores of the Colgate ProClinical C200 toothbrush with triple clean head and the scores of the Colgate ProClinical C200 toothbrush with sensitive head at any comparison time point. CONCLUSION: The Colgate ProClinicaI C200 toothbrush, with either a triple clean head or a sensitive head, provides statistically significant and clinically relevant levels of efficacy in the removal of supragingival dental plaque in the whole mouth, at the gingival margin, and interproximally after a single tooth brushing and after four weeks of use, as well as a statistically significantly greater level of efficacy in the reduction of gingivitis and gingival bleeding when compared to a manual flat-trim toothbrush.

Laboratory evaluation of plaque removal at interproximal sites by a specially engineered powered toothbrush with unique sensing and control technologies.

OBJECTIVE: This laboratory study compared a specially engineered sonic powered toothbrush with unique sensing and control technologies and having two different brush heads to a manual flat-trim toothbrush for their ability to remove plaque at interproximal sites. METHODS: Interproximal access efficacy (IAE) was measured as the maximum width of plaque removed from the artificial plaque substrate around the teeth. Six brushes of each product were tested four times for a total of 24 tests. Results from these tests were statistically analyzed using an analysis of variance (ANOVA). A post hoc Tukey test for pair-wise comparisons, with a minimum significance level of 0.05, was used to identify significant mean differences between the test products. RESULTS: Relative to the manual flat-trim toothbrush, the sonic powered toothbrush, equipped with either the Triple Clean or Sensitive refill brush head, had statistically significantly higher IAE means (p < 0.001). In addition, when equipped with the Sensitive refill brush head, the new sonic powered toothbrush showed increased efficiencies compared to when it was equipped with the Triple Clean brush head with respect to IAE means. CONCLUSION: The specially engineered sonic powered toothbrush with unique sensing and control technologies had higher interproximal access efficacy compared to a manual flat-trim toothbrush, particularly with the Sensitive brush head.

The efficacy of a newly designed toothbrush to decrease tooth sensitivity.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this monadic clinical study was to evaluate the reduction in tooth sensitivity among patients who used the Colgate 360 degrees Sensitive toothbrush during an 8-week period. METHODOLOGY: Adult men and women from the northern New Jersey area were required to present two teeth that exhibited sensitivity both to tactile stimulation using the Yeaple Probe and to thermal stimulation using an air blast delivered by a standard dental-unit syringe. After examination of the oral soft and hard tissues, qualifying patients were provided with a Colgate 360 degrees Sensitive toothbrush and a supply of a commercially available, nonsensitive fluoride toothpaste, and instructed to brush their teeth for 1 minute, twice daily (morning and evening), using only the toothbrush and dentifrice provided. No other oral hygiene practices were permitted during the course of the study. After 4 weeks and again after 8 weeks of product use, patients returned to the dental clinic for follow-up examinations of tactile and thermal sensitivity of the baseline-designated sensitive teeth. Examinations of the oral soft and hard tissues also were performed at these followup visits. RESULTS: At the 4-week examinations, patients exhibited a statistically significant 5.49-unit increase in tactile sensitivity score and a statistically significant 0.77-unit decrease in thermal sensitivity score, both indicative of improvements in tooth sensitivity. At the 8-week examinations, patients exhibited a statistically significant 13.78-unit increase in tactile sensitivity score and a statistically significant 1.85-unit decrease in thermal sensitivity score, again both indicative of improvements in tooth sensitivity. CONCLUSION: It can be concluded that brushing sensitive teeth with the new Colgate 360 degrees Sensitive toothbrush will result in a decrease in tooth sensitivity and this decrease in tooth sensitivity will increase over time.

Laboratory investigation of Colgate 360 degrees toothbrush and Oral-B indicator toothbrush for the removal of dental stains.

The objective of this in vitro study was to evaluate the stain-removal efficacy of a newly designed manual toothbrush, the Colgate 360 degrees, relative to a commercially available toothbrush, the Oral-B Indicator. A modification of Stookey et al was used to evaluate the stain-removal effects of toothbrushes instead of dentifrice on bovine teeth. A V.8 mechanical cross-brushing machine equipped with the test toothbrushes and adjusted to 500g to enamel surfaces evaluated stain removal using a dentifrice slurry and water after 800 double strokes. The overall results of this laboratory investigation indicate that the Colgate 360 degrees toothbrush is more effective, P < .05, than the commercial Oral-B Indicator toothbrush in removing dental stain and brightening teeth using a standard toothpaste or water.