Objectives: To evaluate the gingival health efficacy of an oscillating-rotating electric toothbrush, a stannous fluoride dentifrice, and dental floss in adults with mild-to-moderate gingivitis.
Methods: This was a single-center, randomized, controlled, examiner-blind, two-treatment, eight-week parallel group study in adults with at least 20 gingival bleeding sites. Eligible subjects were randomized equally to one of two groups: experimental oral hygiene group that included an Oral-B® oscillating-rotating electric toothbrush with round brush head (D20/EB20), Crest® stabilized stannous fluoride dentifrice (SnF2 1100 ppm F, NaF 350 ppm F), and Oral-B® Glide® floss; or regular oral hygiene control group that included a regular manual toothbrush (Oral-B® Indicator 35) and Crest® anti-cavity sodium fluoride dentifrice (NaF 1450 ppm F). Subjects followed manufacturer's instructions and used their assigned products over an eight-week period. Gingival health was measured at baseline, Week 4, and Week 8 using three assessments: Gingival Bleeding Index (GBI), number of bleeding sites, and Modified Gingival Index (MGI). Analysis of Covariance was used to compare gingival health between treatment groups.
Results: One hundred and twenty subjects, mean age 44 years (range: 21 to 74 years), were assessed at baseline (60 per group); 113 subjects (57 in control group, 56 in experimental group) completed the study with fully evaluable data. At baseline, the groups were balanced; overall means were 0.41 for GBI, 51.7 for bleeding sites, and 1.44 for MGI. Only the experimental group showed statistically significant reductions from baseline (p < 0.0001) for all three gingivitis assessments at both Weeks 4 and 8. At these time points, better gingival health for the experimental group was seen as significantly lower adjusted mean scores versus the control group (p < 0.0001) for all three assessments. Reductions in favor of the experimental group at Weeks 4 and 8, respectively, were 51% and 45% for GBI, 46% and 40% for number of bleeding sites, and 37% and 20% for MGI. The study treatments were well tolerated.
Conclusions: Over an eight-week period, an oral hygiene routine with an oscillating-rotating electric toothbrush, stannous fluoride dentifrice, and floss significantly improved gingivitis compared to regular hygiene with a manual toothbrush and an anti-cavity sodium fluoride dentifrice.
Keywords: floss; oscillating-rotating toothbrush; randomized controlled clinical trial; stannous fluoride dentifrice.
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