A CLINICAL-TRIAL TO EVALUATE PLAQUE REMOVAL WITH A DOUBLE-HEADED TOOTHBRUSH

Fifty patients took part in a single blind study to test the plaque-removing efficacy of a new double-headed brush (Duodent 2000), compared with a conventional brush (Oral B 32). Twenty-seven patients were attending for an initial course of hygiene treatment, and 23 were recall patients with persistently inadequate plaque control. Plaque was assessed at baseline and at the end of the 2-week study period using the Turesky modification of the Quigley and Hine index for all buccal and lingual surfaces. All patients had plaque scores of more than 1 at baseline (maximum = 5). The reductions in mean plaque scores for combined lingual and palatal surfaces for subjects using the double-headed brush were significantly better than the corresponding reductions for the control groups. There were no significant differences between mean buccal plaque socres at the final examination for patients using either brush. The double-headed toothbrush helped to achieve better lingual and palatal plaque control, not only in the new patient group, but also in the group of patients who had not previously responded well to oral hygiene advice.