Evaluation of an innovative curved bristles toothbrush in dental plaque removal and on gingival health in children

Introduction:

Effective toothbrushing allows removal of dental biofilm, reducing the risk for dental caries and gingivitis. Factors influencing effective toothbrushing in children include correct toothbrushing methods, frequency, duration and toothbrush design. Several modifications of manual toothbrushes are developed to enhance mechanical removal of dental biofilm in children. The basic shape of manual toothbrushes remains same, while minor changes in handle design, bristle material and arrangement have been studied extensively. Recently, a toothbrush with an innovative bristle design has been introduced, claiming to efficiently remove plaque and reduce gingival inflammation.

Aim:

To evaluate plaque removal efficacy and gingival health using Collis curve toothbrush in comparison to conventional manual toothbrush in children between age 8 and 10 years.

Methodology:

A randomized controlled trial of 60 children between age 8 and 10 years who had good systemic health, normal motor and cognitive development and twice daily toothbrushing habit were included. DMFT was recorded for each child. Gingival scores and plaque scores were recorded using Loe and Silness gingival index and Turesky’s modification of Quigley and Hein plaque index (TQHI). The selected children were randomly assigned to manual toothbrush group (MT) and Collis curve toothbrush group (CT). They were instructed to use the respective toothbrushes for a duration of 3 weeks after which gingival index and plaque index were re-recorded. The mean score difference was used to determine the gingival health and plaque removal efficacy of the respective toothbrushes.