Abstract:

The comparison of the toothbrushing activity in new and 3 months used brushesGyğdem Paşalı, Sema Becerik, Universe Evrenesoğlu Ege University, Faculty of Dentistry, Periodontology AD, Izmir FUNCTION: Dental plaque, inflammatory periodontal diseases and tooth fractures are considered primary etiological factors. The most effective and common method used in removing the microbial dental plaque through the tooth is toothbrush. It is recommended to change the toothbrush every three months. The aim of this study is to compare the plaque lifting effects of new and 3 months used toothbrushes. Methods: Ege University Dentistry Faculty 4th and 5th grade students (16 men, 9 girls) were included in 25 volunteer studies. Every volunteer was given the same type of toothbrush and pasta. Students were asked to wash their teeth with a modified bass technique, using the brush and patches given twice a day for 3 months. In the trials, a total of 12 teeth were measured in the whole mouth, including 1 cut, 1 premol, 1 molar tooth in each half of the chest. Clinical measurements that contain the cell depth (SCD) (mm) and the plaque index (PI) (Quigley-Hein) surveyed in the beginning (t0) and in the third month (t2) were carried out and recorded. In the 2nd month (t1) only PI measurements were made and recorded. Before each measurement day (t0, t1 and t2) the examiners did not do mechanical or chemical tooth cleansing for 48 hours. Each day of measurement, the PI before washing and the test is 120 seconds. After washing their teeth without looking at the mirror during the time, two measurements included PI after the washing were made. For each measured tooth, the pre-brushed PI values were statistically higher than the pre-brushed PI values (p=0,01). There is a statistically significant difference between the decline in the PI value at the beginning (t0) and the decline in the PI value at the end of the 3rd month (t2) (p<0,05) while there is no statistically significant difference for the cut, molar and the whole mouth (p>0,05). A 3-month-used toothbrush is not less effective in removing the plaque formed in 48 hours than a new toothbrush. This study showed that after 3 months of use, the toothbrush did not lose its effectiveness.

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