Objective: Evaluation of plaque removal efficacy of short-headed toothbrush as compared to conventional/traditional toothbrush.
Method: A total of 20 subjects meeting the inclusion criteria were considered. Selected subjects were divided into test and control groups. Initially, subjects were advised to refrain from brushing teeth for 24 h, to determine the plaque index (PI) and gingival index (GI) at the baseline. Further, crossover observation between the groups was recorded based on short-headed toothbrush (Curaprox CS 5460) and traditional brushes (ultrasoft). Finally, a questionnaire survey was conducted to gather preferences and experiences of each subject.
Results: In terms of plaque removal, the short-headed toothbrush and the conventional toothbrush demonstrated comparable results. In terms of PI and GI, the intergroup comparison revealed no significant differences (p = 0.878). Individual acceptability of the short-headed toothbrush was shown to be higher in the questionnaire survey.
Conclusion: It was observed that both toothbrushes showed similar efficacy. However, the subjects preferred short-headed toothbrush.
Clinical relevance: Short-headed toothbrushes comprising a higher number of bristles can be recommended in terms of better oral hygiene.
Keywords: manual toothbrush; microfilament; plaque control; questionnaire survey.
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