Plaque Removal Efficacy of Manual Tooth Brushing in Crowded Mandibular Frontal Teeth

Abstract

The aim of the present in vivo study was to evaluate the efficacy of two different bristle stiffness, in plaque control of crowded mandibular teeth. To classify the patient mandibular frontal teeth irregularity, the quantitative Little´s Irregularity Index was used. To quantify the dental plaque accumulation, the Distal-Mesial Plaque Index (DMPI) was assessed by a single examiner. After each plaque accumulation period, which lasted for 24 hours, the plaque removal efficacy of a soft or medium stiff manual toothbrush were measured. The mean interproximal DMPI of the irregularity group with mild and moderate crowding was, prior to brushing with the soft bristle toothbrush, 1.87 on the facial surfaces, 1.93 on those of the lingual surfaces, and 1.90 on both the facial and lingual surfaces. The new mean interproximal DMPI after brushing of the facial teeth surfaces was 1.54. On the lingual surfaces an index of 1.58 and on the facial and lingual surfaces combined an index of 1.56 was measured. Considering the percentage of the remaining interdental plaque, on the severely crowded surfaces, the toothbrush with medium bristle stiffness was slightly, with two percent, more effective in removing interproximal plaque with a percentage of 23%, compared to the toothbrush with a soft bristle stiffness removing 21% of the interdental plaque. In conclusion, the manual toothbrush with round-ended medium stiffness bristles was slightly more effective in removing interproximal plaque compared to the toothbrush with round-ended soft bristle stiffness. In comparison, there was a slight difference interdental plaque removal between the soft and medium stiff round-ended toothbrushes, independently of the crowding degree.