Comparison of dental plaque reduction after use of electric toothbrushes with and without QLF-D-applied plaque visualization: A 1-week randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Background: To evaluate the efficacy of a newly developed electric toothbrush in reducing dental plaque via a quantitative light-induced fluorescence-digital (QLF-D)-applied visualisation system in the brush head.Methods: Participants included 20 adults aged 19 to 28 years. Participants were randomly assigned either (i) an electric toothbrush with a monitor to visualise red-fluorescent dental plaque via a camera built into the brush head (monitor usage group, n = 10) or (ii) an electric toothbrush without a monitor (monitor-non-use group, n = 10). The amount of dental plaque was assessed by personal hygiene performance (PHP) at baseline and 1 week later.Results: In the monitor-usage group, PHP score was significantly lower at the 1-week follow-up than at baseline (6 vs 16; range, 0–12 vs 13–21; P = 0.029). This change was not observed in the monitor-non-use group (14 vs 13; range, 6-21 vs 2-26; P = 0.778). After 1 week, the change in PHP scores in the monitor usage group was significantly greater than that in the monitor non-use group (−10 vs 0; range, -21 to 9 vs -8 to 16; P = 0.021).Conclusions: Our results clearly demonstrate that brushing teeth while looking at a monitor that depicts red-autofluorescent dental plaque via application of QLF-D improved the efficacy of dental-plaque removal relative to brushing teeth without a monitor.

Effect of dental caries management using ‘CAMBRA‐kids’ mobile application for children under 5 years old

“…The process of giving repeated feedbacks made it possible to reduce dental plaques. Sumio 25 has reported a significant decrease in dental plaque in the experimental group consisting of subjects in their 20's using an electric toothbrush with an installed QLF‐D device in contrast to the control group without QLF‐D device. PHP (Personal Hygiene Performance) indices of the two groups were compared to determine whether there was any difference.…”

Physical, Mechanical, and Thermal Properties and Characterization of Natural Fiber Composites Reinforced Poly(Lactic Acid): Miswak (Salvadora Persica L.) Fibers

“…In the early twentieth century, manufacturers started to make use of nylon and other plastics to replace celluloid materials when plastic was invented [1]. Due to its 100% waterproof property, nylon had gain higher attraction and replaces celluloid in 1938 [2,3]. Since then, plastic has dominated the hygiene industry and was commonly used to manufacture toothbrushes as shown in Figure 1.…”

“…However, plastics are well known as a nonbiodegradable material, which promotes landfills after its disposal. Every single toothbrush that was manufactured decades ago could still be found around us as a piece of trash, somewhere on the planet [2,3]. Furthermore, the American Dental Association stated that everyone should change their toothbrushes every three to four months.…”