A comparative 3-month clinical investigation of the safety and efficacy ofa battery operated and a rechargeable oscillating-rotating power toothbrush

Purpose: To compare the safety and efficacy of two oscillating-rotating pow er toothbrushes, the rechargeable Braun Oral-B D8 and the battery-powered C olgate Actibrush. Materials and Methods: This was a randomized, examiner-bl ind, parallel-group study, carried out over 3 months of product use, involv ing a total of 113 healthy subjects with a plaque score of greater than or equal to 1.5 and a gingivitis score of greater than or equal to 1.1. Subjec ts were given written and verbal instructions in the use of their respectiv e power brushes and were told to brush twice per day. At baseline, hard and soft tissues were examined, and plaque scores and gingival scores were rec orded after 12-18 hrs of no oral hygiene. Subjects returned after 3 months, at which time soft and hard tissues were re-examined and plaque and gingiv itis scores were recorded. Results: No evidence was found of soft or hard t issue trauma and both brushes were considered to be safe when used accordin g to the manufacturers' instructions. After 3 months, whole mouth plaque sc ores had decreased by 7% in the D8 group but had increased by 4.3% in the A ctibrush group. The decrease from baseline in the D8 group was statisticall y significant, but the increase in the Actibrush group was not. The differe nce between the two groups was statistically significant both for the whole mouth and all individual sires. Whole mouth gingivitis scores were also re duced significantly from baseline in both groups, by 22.5% in the D8 group and by 17.5% in the Actibrush group. For whole mouth scores and all individ ual sites (interproximal, buccal and lingual), the D8 was significantly mor e effective than the Actibrush.