A randomized 3-month clinical comparison of a power toothbrush to a manual toothbrush in the reduction of gingivitis

Purpose: To compare the anti-gingivitis effect of a power toothbrush relative to a manual toothbrush control. Methods: This was a 3-month, randomized and controlled, single-center, parallel group, examiner-blinded clinical study. 123 Chinese adults in good general health and with at least 15 gingival bleeding sites, as measured by the Gingival Bleeding Index, were enrolled into the study. At baseline, pre-treatment gingivitis levels were assessed using the Mazza Bleeding Index. Subjects were then randomly assigned to receive either an oscillating-rotating power toothbrush [Oral-B Professional Care 7000 (D17u/EB17)] or a flat-trim manual toothbrush with tapered filaments (Lion Dentor Systema). Subjects brushed at home twice-daily with their assigned toothbrush and a marketed sodium fluoride dentifrice (Crest Cavity Protection dentifrice), and were reevaluated at Months 1, 2, and 3. Results: 113 evaluable subjects completed the study. Both groups showed significant reductions in gingivitis from baseline for all time points measured (P<0.001). At Months 1, 2 and 3, the power toothbrush demonstrated significantly greater gingivitis reductions of 7.11%, 9.20% and 8.47%, respectively, than the manual toothbrush (P<0.01), and significantly fewer bleeding sites (17.3%, 23.9% and 24.3%, respectively, P<0.05). No adverse events were reported or observed for either brush during the study.