Abstract
Sixty five severely disabled patients hospitalized in 2 institutes in Miyagi Prefecture were the subjects of this investigation. Oral hygine procedures as well as the meaning of plaque control were taught to the nurse who took care of the patients. The periodontal status of the patients have been manitored for 2 years.
The brushing of 3 times a day using an ordinary tooth brush was adopted in one institute. Gingival bleeding (bleeding index; BI, salivary occult blood level), plaque index (P1 I) and probing pocket depth (PD) were remarkably improved by the brushing. The decrease of PD in patients taking diphenylhy-dantoin (DPH) was larger than those who took no DPH.
In another institute, more improvement in BI and P1I, was observed using electric toothbrush.
Combined application of the electric toothbrush and the interdental brush is effective for the severely disabled patients.
