2016 Volume 58 Issue 3 Pages 107-116
It is difficult to categorize the toothbrushes as sonic, because many types of toothbrushes are commercially available nowadays with various bristle shapes. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate individual products to study their efficiency.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of Sonicare® FlexCare Platinum (a sonic toothbrush from Philips) on plaque and intra-pocket bacterial removal and clinical parameters in comparison with those of a manual toothbrush.
A total of 20 patients with periodontitis were equally divided into the sonic toothbrush group and manual toothbrush group. The clinical parameters and intra-pocket bacterial and plaque accumulation were examined prior to providing the toothbrushing instructions and at 2 and 4 weeks after the study was begun. The intra-pocket bacterial accumulation was measured at 4 weeks after the study was begun.
No significant difference in the amount of plaque accumulation was observed between the two groups. The clinical parameters improved in both the groups, with significant differences observed between the initial and final measurements. A significantly greater degree of decrease of the BOP and PD was observed in the sonic toothbrush group as compared to the manual toothbrush group at 2 weeks after the study was begun. At 4 weeks after the study was begun, significant decrease in the intra-pocket bacterial accumulation was observed in both the groups, although there was no significant difference in this parameter between the two groups.
Although no significant difference was observed in the amount of plaque accumulation, early improvement of the BOP and PD was observed in the sonic toothbrush group.
It is speculated that the early improvement of the clinical parameters in the sonic toothbrush group as compared to the manual toothbrush group was caused by the sonic vibrations exerting a massage effect on the gingiva.