2021 Volume 63 Issue 1 Pages 1-10
Although many toothbrushes of various forms are now manufactured, there are few reports of comparison of the effectiveness of toothbrushes used under the same conditions. Few studies have reported the effects of brushing proficiency and toothbrush shape on the plaque removal efficacy. In this study, we compared the plaque removal effects of five different toothbrushes in two groups with different levels of brushing proficiency. Ten dentists (Group P), and 10 volunteers with poor brushing skills and no experience of receiving brushing instructions from a dental clinic (Group V) were asked to brush with five different types of toothbrushes. All permanent teeth, excluding the wisdom teeth, excessive teeth, and teeth undergoing treatment, remained stained before and after brushing, and the plaque scores before and after brushing were measured using the Plaque Control Record.
The results showed that the plaque removal rate was lower in Group V than in Group P, regardless of which toothbrush was used, although the difference was not significant. On the other hand, the plaque removal rate in group P was higher than that in group V regardless of which toothbrush was used, and the rates of plaque removal in Group P differed depending on the type of toothbrush used. In particular, the plaque removal rate was higher in the subjects who used toothbrushes with good maneuverability, designed to make it easy for the bristles to reach the tooth surface and to apply proper brushing pressure.
These results suggest that toothbrushes that are effective in removing plaques differ in terms of their level of effectiveness.
