Comparing Chewable and Manual Toothbrushes for Reducing Dental Plaque: A Pilot Study

Jeong, Moon Jin; Shin, Hye Sun; Jeong, Soon Jeong; Lim, Do Seon

Abstract

This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of chewable toothbrush and manual toothbrush and provide basic data for recommendation of the chewable toothbrush in specific groups and situations. A total of 20 subjects participated in this study (rolling method, 10; non-rolling method, 10). After professional prophylaxis, participants used the manual toothbrush to brush their teeth for 3 minutes. After a 7-day wash-out period, participants used the chewable toothbrush according to the manufacturer's instructions. Pre- and post-plaque indexing of the teeth was performed. The dental plaque index was assessed using the Turesky Modification of the Quigley-Hein Plaque Index (TMQHPI) for amount of plaque and Silness-LÃ¶e Plaque Index (SLPI) for plaque thickness. The difference between pre- and post-dental plaque index was analyzed using a paired t-test and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. The Mann-Whitney U test was also used to compare the dental plaque index reduction rates. The dental plaque index differed significantly between the chewable toothbrush and the manual toothbrush. The TMQHPI reduction rate was significantly different between the rolling and non-rolling method groups for the manual toothbrush but not the chewable toothbrush. The difference in SLPI reduction rate between the rolling and non-rolling method groups was significant for the manual toothbrush but not for the chewable toothbrush. Differences in the dental plaque index reduction rates between the chewable and manual toothbrushes were not significant in the non-rolling method group. The results of this study showed higher reduction rates in dental plaque with manual toothbrush use than with chewable toothbrush use. However, the non-rolling method group did not show statistically significant differences according to toothbrush type. The present study showed that a chewable toothbrush can be an alternative to a manual toothbrush for individuals who have difficulty using the generally recommended rolling method.