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Biomedical subjects

M F Timmerman

Publications and source records attributed to M F Timmerman.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1999

A 15-month evaluation of the effects of repeated subgingival minocycline in chronic adult periodontitis.

BACKGROUND: A double-blind, randomized, parallel, comparative study was designed to evaluate the long-term safety and efficacy of subgingivally administered minocycline ointment versus a vehicle control. METHODS: One hundred four patients (104) with moderate to severe adult periodontitis (34 to 64 years of age; mean 46 years) were enrolled in the study. Following scaling and root planing, patients were randomized to receive either 2% minocycline ointment or a matched vehicle control. Study medication was administered directly into the periodontal pocket with a specially designed, graduated, disposable applicator at baseline; week 2; and at months 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12. Scaling and root planing was repeated at months 6 and 12. Standard clinical variables (including probing depth and attachment level) were evaluated at baseline and at months 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, and 15. Microbiological sampling using DNA probes was done at baseline; at week 2; and at months 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, and 15. RESULTS: Both treatment groups showed significant and clinically relevant reductions in the numbers of each of the 7 microorganisms measured during the entire 15-month study period. When differences were detected, sites treated with minocycline ointment always produced statistically significantly greater reductions than sites which received the vehicle control. For initial pockets > or =5 mm, a mean reduction in probing depth of 1.9 mm was seen in the test sites, versus 1.2 mm in the control sites. Sites with a baseline probing depth > or =7 mm and bleeding index >2 showed an average of 2.5 mm reduction with minocycline versus 1.5 mm with the vehicle. Gains in attachment (0.9 mm and 1.1 mm) were observed in minocycline-treated sites, with baseline probing depth > or =5 mm and > or =7 mm, respectively, compared with 0.5 mm and 0.7 mm gain at control sites. Subgingival administration of minocycline ointment was well tolerated. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, the results demonstrate that repeated subgingival administration of minocycline ointment in the treatment of adult periodontitis is safe and leads to significant adjunctive improvement after subgingival instrumentation in both clinical and microbiologic variables over a 15-month period.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

The inhibitory effect of combining chlorhexidine and hydrogen peroxide on 3-day plaque accumulation.

In a blind, randomised, 4-cell, cross-over study, the effect of rinsing with a perborate solution (1.9 g sodium perborate-monohydrate dissolved in 30 ml water/Bocasan, Oral-B) on the in vivo plaque-inhibiting effect of 0.12% chlorhexidine (Oral-B) was examined. After a thorough professional prophylaxis including interdental cleaning, 12 subjects started to rinse according to 4 different regimens: regimen (C-P-C): chlorhexidine in the morning, perborate at noon and chlorhexidine in the evening; regimen (CP-CP): chlorhexidine immediately followed by perborate in the morning and in the evening; regimen (PC-PC): perborate immediately followed by chlorhexidine in the morning and in the evening; regimen (C-C): chlorhexidine in the morning and in the evening. No further oral hygiene measures were allowed for the next 72 h. After 72 h, the subjects were scored for plaque, and a washout period of 4 days followed; cross-over was randomly assigned according to a Latin square design. Following this procedure, all subjects went through all 4 regimens. The regimens C-P-C and PC-PC resulted in significantly lower plaque-scores, 0.27 and 0.28 respectively, than regimen C-C (0.40). For the regimen CP-CP, the plaque-score was 0.28, which was not significantly different from the C-C regimen. The results suggest a positive interaction between chlorhexidine and hydrogen peroxide. Rinsing with a combination of 0.12% chlorhexidine (Oral-B) and a perborate solution (Bocasan Oral-B) can result in more effective short-term plaque growth inhibition than rinsing with chlorhexidine alone.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Untreated periodontal disease in Indonesian adolescents. Clinical and microbiological baseline data.

At present, several risk factors for the initiation and progression of periodontitis have been identified. In order to investigate the rôle of various potential clinical and microbiological risk factors and indicators, a longitudinal study was initiated in a young population deprived from regular dental care. The present communication describes the baseline cross-sectional data obtained in 1987 in terms of the clinical periodontal condition and prevalence of periodontal bacteria in the oral cavity. All inhabitants in the age range 15-25 years of a village with approximately 2000 inhabitants at a tea estate on Western Java, Indonesia, were examined clinically and microbiologically. In total, 255 adolescents, comprising 130 males and 125 females participated in the study. Samples for bacteriological examination were taken from the gingiva, the dorsum of the tongue, and the saliva. Plaque index, bleeding upon probing, pocket depth, and attachment loss (AL) were scored on the approximal surfaces from the vestibular aspect of all teeth as well as the mid-vestibular and mid-lingual aspects of the Ramfjord teeth. Calculus was scored only on the 4 surfaces of the Ramfjord teeth. Following the clinical measurements, the deepest bleeding pocket with no clinical loss of attachment was sampled for microbiological examination. In addition, in 37 subjects a deep bleeding (> or = 4 mm) with at least 4 mm of attachment loss was sampled. Moderate periodontitis (max. AL 3-4 mm) was found in 26% of the population, advanced periodontitis (max. AL > or = 5 mm) in 8%, whereas 66% of the population showed no or minor periodontitis (max. AL 0-2 mm). Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans was found in 57% of the population, Porphyromonas gingivalis in 87%, Prevotella intermedia and motile rods in all cases and spirochetes in 89%. P. gingivalis (66%), A. actinomycetemcomitans (37%) and spirochetes (63%) were, of all the sampled sites of the oral cavity, most frequently detected in pockets without attachment loss. Motile rods were most prevalent on the tongue and in the saliva (92% and 89%, respectively). A high prevalence of the investigated periodontal bacteria was detected both in the pockets without and with attachment loss. No significant association between the clinical periodontal parameters and the prevalence of the microorganisms was observed at a patient level. At a site level, both P. gingivalis and spirochetes were more prevalent in sites with attachment loss. The actual rôle of these putative periodontal pathogens may be elucidated more extensively, when longitudinal data on the present population become available.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

The effect of herbal extracts in an experimental mouthrinse on established plaque and gingivitis.

The purpose of the present study was to establish in vitro the inhibiting effect of a herbal extract mixture on a selected number of micro-organisms and to test in vivo the effect of a mouthwash containing 6.3 mg/ml herbal extract mixture on plaque and gingivitis as compared to a minus active control mouthrinse. The herbal extract was a mixture of: Juniperus communis (juniper), Urtica dioca (nettle), Achillaea millefolium (yarrow); 1:1:1. In the study, in-vitro, the effect of pure herbal extract mixture on acid production of Streptococcus mutans was tested and the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of the following micro-organisms were tested: Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus mitis, Actynomyces viscosus, Actynomyces naeslundii, Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, Prevotella intermedia, Campylobacter rectus, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Veillonella parvula. The MIC-values for A. viscosus and P. gingivalis were 100 mg/ml. The MIC-values for A. naeslundii and A. actinomycetemcomitans were considerably lower (10 mg/ml). S. mitis was the most susceptible of the tested organisms to the extract with a MIC value of 1 mg/ml. S. mutans, C. rectus, V. parvula, and F. nucleatum were not influenced by the extracts. No inhibitory effect of the 6.3 mg/ml herbal extract mixture was observed on the acid production of S. mutans. For the study in-vivo, 45 volunteers were selected on the basis of having moderate gingival inflammation. As efficacy parameters the plaque index, modified gingival index and angulated bleeding index were assessed. The subjects were randomly divided among 3 experimental groups (2x test and 1 'minus active' control). The participants were requested to rinse with 10 ml of mouthwash twice a day for a period of three months. After 6 weeks and 3 months, the same clinical indices as at baseline were recorded. The results show no difference between the two test groups and the control group. In conclusion, the results of the present study have shown that the mixture of the 3 herbal extracts, Juniperus communis, Urtica dioca and Achillaea millefolium when used in a mouthrinse has no effect on plaque growth and gingival health.

Actinomyces↗
PubMed1998

Relationship between the plaque removal efficacy of a manual toothbrush and brushing force.

This survey investigated the association between the efficacy of plaque removal and toothbrushing forces during a normal brushing regime. The 94 subjects participating in this study were requested not to brush 24 h prior to the experiment. Panelists brushed for 1 min with a manual toothbrush. Before and after brushing, plaque was assessed using the Turesky modification of the Quigley & Hein plaque index. A second 1-min exercise of brushing was carried out to assess the toothbrushing force. The mean plaque reduction was 39%, with vestibular surfaces being cleaned most effective (69%) and the lingual surfaces the least (21%). The mean brushing force was 330 g. No correlation was observed between efficacy and brushing force (r=0.14, p=0.16). The relationship between pre- and post-brushing plaque was stronger (r=0.68, p<0.001). Multiple regression analysis entering squared values of force as an independent variable into the equation, indicated that the relation between efficacy and force was not linear. A curve could be fitted to the plot (p=0.0004), demonstrating that up to a certain level of force, an increase of force is associated with an increase in efficacy (r=0.33, p<0.01). Beyond this point, application of higher forces resulted in reduced efficacy (r=-0.49, p=0.03). As was calculated in this particular test this 'transition' level of force was 407.4 g. The absence of a correlation between brushing force and plaque removal efficacy suggests that in a 'user model' brushing situation, other factors than brushing force are of major influence on the amount of plaque removed.

Dental Plaque↗
PubMed1998

Probe penetration in relation to the connective tissue attachment level: influence of tine shape and probing force.

Previous research has shown that probing force and probe tine shape influence the clinically assessed probing depth. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of tine shape and probing force on probe penetration, in relation to the microscopically assessed attachment level in untreated periodontal disease. In 22 patients, scheduled for partial or full mouth tooth extraction and no history of periodontal treatment, 135 teeth were selected. At mesial and distal sites of the teeth reference marks were cut. Three probe tines, mounted in a modified Florida Probe handpiece, were tested: a tapered, a parallel and a ball-ended; tip-diameter 0.5 mm. The three tines were distributed at random over the sites. At each site increasing probing forces of 0.10 N, 0.15 N, 0.20 N, 0.25 N were used. After extraction, the teeth were cleaned and stained for connective tissue fiber attachment. The distance between the reference mark and the attachment level was determined using a stereomicroscope. The results showed that the parallel and ball-ended tine measured significantly beyond the microscopically assessed attachment level at all force levels; with increasing forces, the parallel tine measured 0.96 to 1.38 mm and the ball-ended tine 0.73 to 1.06 mm deeper. The tapered tine did not deviate significantly from the microscopic values at the forces of 0.15, 0.20 and 0.25 N. It can be concluded that for the optimal assessment of the attachment level in inflamed periodontal conditions, a tapered probe with a tip diameter of 0.5 mm and exerting a probing force of 0.25 N may be most suitable.

Connective Tissue↗
PubMed1998

A possible association of alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency with the periodontal condition in adults.

Alpha1-antitrypsin (alpha1AT) is a serum inhibitor of several neutrophil-derived proteolytic enzymes, the serine proteinases. In certain individuals, a deficiency of this enzyme inhibitor is present, whereby only 10 to 20% of the normal concentration is present in the circulation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of this alpha1AT deficiency on the periodontal condition in a case control study. 10 patients aged 20-50 years with a mean age of 32 and showing a deficiency of alpha1AT were randomly selected from a national data bank, which contains persons known to be affected with the alpha1AT deficiency state. Control subjects were matched for age, gender and socio-economic status. Full periodontal charting on all subjects was performed on 6 sites per tooth, including probing attachment level, probing depth, bleeding on probing and a plaque score. Analysis of the data revealed no differences with regard to attachment loss between the two groups. The deficiency group showed 9.3% pockets > or =5 mm and the matched control group 5.9%. When these results were covariated with plaque scores, the deficiency group appeared to have a higher number of sites with probing depths > or =5 mm.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Oral microbiota in smokers and non-smokers in natural and experimentally-induced gingivitis.

The present study primarily aimed at investigating the oral microbiota in smokers and non-smokers with established gingivitis and monitoring its composition during experimental gingivitis. Secondly, it aimed at examining whether the composition of the microbiota is associated with different levels of gingival inflammation during this experimental gingivitis trial. For this purpose, 25 non-dental university students with gingivitis were recruited. 11 subjects were smokers and 14 were non-smokers. After achieving gingival health, they entered a 14-day experimental gingivitis trial. Plaque and bleeding were assessed before entering into the study (intake), at day 0, day 5 and at day 14 of the experiment. Microbiological samples from mucosal sites and dental plaque (taken at intake, day 0, and day 14) were analysed for the presence of Actinomyces species, Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, Bacteroides forsythus, Campylobacter rectus, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Peptostreptococcus micros, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia and Streptococcus species. At day 14 of the experimental period, the level of plaque formation was not different between smokers and non-smokers, but bleeding scores were lower in smokers than in non-smokers (15% and 30% respectively, p=0.01). The change from natural gingivitis to a state of gingival health and a subsequent change from gingival health to experimentally induced gingivitis was accompanied by quantitative alterations in the cultivable microbiota in both groups. Changes were most prominent in the transition from gingival health to experimental gingivitis and were found in dental plaque for Actinomyces species, C. rectus, F. nucleatum, and P. intermedia. Within the group of non-smokers, a distinction was made between subjects with a 'weak' or 'strong' inflammatory response. No relationship with a single bacterial species could be established which would likely explain the differences in levels of inflammation. It is concluded that differences in response to experimental gingivitis are not caused by major differences in the composition of the oral microbiota.

Actinomyces↗
PubMed1998

Evaluation of 2 methods to assess gingival bleeding in smokers and non-smokers in natural and experimental gingivitis.

The purpose of the present study was to compare the bleeding tendency as elicited by probing the marginal gingiva (BOMP) and probing to the bottom of the pocket (BOPP) in smokers and non-smokers in natural gingivitis and during experimental gingivitis. 11 smokers (sm) and 14 non-smokers (nsm) were recruited. When they had less than 20% approximal bleeding sites, they entered a 14-day trial period of 'experimental gingivitis'. Subjects returned 30 days later, after resuming normal oral hygiene procedures, for a final gingival assessment. A split-mouth design was chosen using 2 contra-lateral quadrants for each index (being either BOMP or BOPP). A consistently higher bleeding score of approximately 10% was observed by probing to the bottom of the pocket. At day 14 with both indices, a significant difference between smokers and non-smokers was detected (BOMP: sm=15%, nsm=30%; BOPP: sm=27%, nsm=44%). The increment between gingival health and experimental gingivitis was significantly higher in non-smokers than in smokers but comparable for both indices (BOMP: sm=8%, nsm=23%; BOPP: sm=9%, nsm=26%). Probing to the bottom of the pocket results in significantly more bleeding in gingival health and gingivitis as compared to probing of the marginal gingiva. This shows that evaluation of the gingival condition with BOMP, the method of choice with respect to gingivitis, can be used as a parameter for inflammation when comparing smokers and non-smokers. The suppressed inflammatory response to plaque accumulation, as observed in smokers, indicates that they should be identified as a separate group when they participate as panelists in (experimentally induced) gingivitis studies.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Evaluation of the incidence of gingival abrasion as a result of toothbrushing.

The aims of the present study were: (1) to establish the incidence of gingival abrasion as a result of toothbrushing, using a manual and electric toothbrush; (2) to establish the influence of filament end-rounding on the incidence of gingival abrasion and the efficacy of toothbrushing; (3) to assess whether the speed of the electric brush has a feedback-effect on the brushing force used and to correlate the incidence of gingival abrasion with force. 2 experiments were carried out. In the first experiment, 50 subjects brushed for 3 weeks every other day with either a manual (Butler 411) or an electric toothbrush (Braun/Oral-B Ultra Plaque Remover-D9). All received brief instructions and were asked to abstain from oral hygiene 24 hrs before their appointment. After disclosing the teeth and gums with Mira-2-Tone solution, plaque and gingival abrasion were assessed. Next, the panelists brushed in a random split-mouth order. After brushing and a second disclosing, plaque and abrasion were re-assessed. The results showed that the incidence of gingival abrasion was comparable for the manual and the D9. Using a similar design as in experiment no. 1, in experiment no. 2 a new group of 47 subjects brushed for 3 weeks alternating between the Braun/Oral-B Plaque Remover-D7 and D9. At the appointment, the subjects first brushed in a split-mouth order with the D9 with 2 different types of endrounding. Plaque and abrasion were assessed. Immediately following this brushing exercise, the subjects re-brushed with the D7 (2800 rot/min) and the D9 (3600 rot/min) during which brushing force was measured. The results of this experiment showed that endrounding has no effect on plaque removal but does effect the incidence of gingival abrasion. Brushing force is not influenced by the speed of the brushhead and no correlation with the incidence of gingival abrasion was observed. In conclusion, the results of this study show that gingival abrasion is not influenced by brushing force, but is affected by filament endrounding.

Coloring Agents↗
PubMed1998

Comparison of different approaches of interdental oral hygiene: interdental brushes versus dental floss.

The purpose of the present study was to compare in untreated patients suffering from moderate to severe periodontitis the efficacy of dental floss (DF) and interdental brushes (IDB) in the reduction of plaque, gingival inflammation, and probing depth in a 6-week period prior to subgingival debridement. Twenty-six patients (12 female, 14 male; mean age 37.4 years; range 27 to 72 years) were instructed to use DF for one side of the dentition and IDB for the other side as an adjunct to the daily toothbrushing for 6 weeks. Oral hygiene instructions for toothbrushing and the use of the two devices were given at baseline and at week 3. Measurements were carried out at baseline and at 6 weeks including plaque scores, probing depth, and 2 bleeding scores (periodontal pocket bleeding index and angulated bleeding index). With the IDB, the approximal plaque score at baseline of 3.09 reduced to 2.15 at 6 weeks and with DF from 3.10 to 2.47, respectively. IDB proved to remove significantly more plaque than DF. Baseline probing depth of 5.84 mm for IDB sites and 5.59 mm for DF sites was reduced to 5.01 mm at 6 weeks for both regimens. Analysis showed that the use of IDB resulted in a greater pocket reduction. Both bleeding indices were slightly reduced with IDB and DF, but no differences between devices were found. In relation to patient acceptance, more problems were observed with DF, and IDB were felt to be more efficacious. In conclusion, the results of the present study indicate that in combination with a manual toothbrush, the use of interdental brushes is more effective in removal of plaque and results in a larger reduction of probing depth than the use of dental floss. Although the differences were small, they indicate, in combination with patient preferences, that interdental brushes are to be considered preferable to floss for interdental plaque removal in patients suffering from moderate to severe periodontitis.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

A comparison of the efficacy of a novel electric toothbrush and a manual toothbrush in the treatment of gingivitis.

PURPOSE: To compare the efficiency of a new electric toothbrush featuring a novel three-dimensional brush head action, with a manual toothbrush, in resolving gingivitis which had been allowed to develop in a group of subjects prior to the treatment phase of the study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a randomized split-mouth study. A total of 35 healthy non-dental students refrained from any oral hygiene on the lower jaw for a period of 21 days in order to develop gingivitis. They then brushed one quadrant of the lower jaw with the Braun Oral-B 3D Plaque Remover and the other with a manual toothbrush for a period of 4 weeks. Plaque and gingivitis were evaluated at the start of the study, after the 21 days of no oral hygiene, and after 1, 2, 3 and 4 weeks of brushing twice a day. RESULTS: At the end of the study, the 3D was found to be significantly more effective at reducing bleeding on probing (P < 0.05) for all sites combined and all individual sites. Plaque removal was also significantly more effective with the 3D. Subjects in the study reported that they preferred the 3D to the manual toothbrush and said that it would encourage them to brush for longer. It is concluded that the new Braun Oral-B 3D Plaque Remover offers advantages over a manual toothbrush in terms of plaque control and improvement of gingival condition.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

A comparison of electric toothbrushes in their potential to cause gingival abrasion of oral soft tissues.

PURPOSE: It has previously been established that gingival abrasion associated with the Braun Oral-B Ultra Plaque Remover (D9) is minimal and comparable to that observed with a manual toothbrush. The purpose of this single-use study was to compare gingival abrasion with the D9 and a novel electric toothbrush, the Braun Oral-B 3D Plaque Remover (3D). MATERIALS AND METHODS: 49 subjects (non-dental students) with at least 24 natural teeth and an absence of periodontal probing depths of 5 mm or greater were included in this study. Following a familiarization phase, all subjects received a single prophylaxis and were asked not to brush their teeth for 24 hours prior to their appointment. At this visit, the gums were disclosed by Mira-2-Tone solution and all gingival abrasion on the soft tissues was assessed and recorded. Subjects then brushed their teeth in a random split-mouth order with the two electric toothbrushes, using brush heads of the same design (EB9). The gums were then re-disclosed and gingival abrasions were recorded. They were recorded as either small sites of abrasion (< or = 5 mm) or large sites of abrasion (> 5 mm). RESULTS: The mean number of small traumas increased from 2.57 at baseline to 4.04 after brushing with the D9 and from 1.98 to 4.14 after brushing with the 3D. There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups. For both toothbrushes, more small traumas were found in the upper jaw compared with the lower jaw. No increase in number of large traumas was observed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Effects of metronidazole in patients with "refractory" periodontitis associated with Bacteroides forsythus.

The aim of the present study was to monitor the microbiological and clinical effects of renewed supra- and subgingival debridement in conjunction with systemic metronidazole therapy (500 mg TID for 7 days) in 27 "refractory" periodontitis patients, culture positive for Bacteroides forsythus and negative for Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans. Clinical evaluation included assessment of plaque, bleeding upon probing, probing pocket depth and clinical attachment loss at the deepest, bleeding site in each quadrant. Microbiological evaluation was carried out by anaerobic cultivation of subgingival plaque samples from the same sites. 6 months after renewed debridement and systemic metronidazole (RD+M), a statistically significant improvement of all clinical parameters was observed, except for the plaque index. After RD+M, B. forsythus was suppressed below detection level in 17 of the 27 patients, P. gingivalis in 9 out of 15 patients and P. intermedia in 14 of the 21 patients. Before RD+M, 12 patients harboured simultaneously B. forsythus, P. gingivalis as well as P. intermedia. Out of these, 6 patients were culture negative for the 3 species after therapy and showed the greatest reduction in pocket depth (3.1 mm) and gain of clinical attachment level (2.5 mm). In the treatment of refractory periodontitis, associated with patients culture positive for B. forsythus and negative for A. actinomycetemcomitans, metronidazole can significantly improve the clinical and microbiological parameters.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Discrepancy between culture and DNA probe analysis for the detection of periodontal bacteria.

The purpose of this study was to compare a commercially available DNA probe technique with conventional cultural techniques for the detection of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis and Prevotella intermedia in subgingival plaque samples. Samples from 20 patients with moderate to severe periodontitis were evaluated at baseline and during a 15 months period of periodontal treatment. Paperpoints from 4 periodontal pockets per patient were forwarded to Omnigene for DNA probe analysis, and simultaneously inserted paperpoints from the same pockets were analyzed by standard culture techniques. In addition, mixed bacterial samples were constructed harbouring known proportions of 25 strains of A. actinomycetemcomitans, P. gingivalis and P. intermedia each. A relatively low concordance was found between both methods. At baseline a higher detection frequency was found for A. actinomycetemcomitans and P. gingivalis for the DNA probe technique; for P. intermedia the detection frequency by culture was higher. For A. actinomycetemcomitans, 21% of the culture positive samples was positive with the DNA probe. Testing the constructed bacterial samples with the DNA probe method resulted in about 16% false positive results for the 3 species tested. Furthermore, 40% of P. gingivalis strains were not detected by the DNA probe. The present data suggest that at least part of the discrepancies found between the DNA probe technique used and cultural methods are caused by false positive and false negative DNA probe results. Therefore, the value of this DNA probe method for the detection of periodontal pathogens is questionable.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Longitudinal evaluation of the development of periodontal destruction in spouses.

The aim of the present investigation was to study longitudinally the periodontal condition of married couples. The data are derived from a longitudinal study in a young population living in a remote village in Indonesia and showing a relatively high prevalence of periodontal destruction. In 23 married couples, clinical measurements were carried out in 1987 and 1994. During the latter examination, a pooled gingival sample was obtained for microbiological evaluation. In 1994, the mean age of the group was 29.1 years and the couples were married for on the average 10 years. In each couple, the partner showing in 1994 the highest score for mean loss of attachment (LA) was classified as the diseased proband and the other partner as the spouse. Evaluation of the clinical data showed that: (1) the diseased probands already had in 1987 a worse periodontal condition compared to that of the spouses; (2) in both groups the mean LA increased during the 7-year period; (3) the difference in mean LA between diseased probands and spouses increased between 1987 and 1994. The microbiological evaluation revealed a relatively high prevalence of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans (50%), Porphyromonas gingivalis (67%) and Prevotella intermedia 61%. Analysis showed no differences in microbiota between diseased probands and spouses. The 23 Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans positive subjects included 2 positive couples. Furthermore, the 31 Porphyromonas gingivalis and 28 Prevotella intermedia positive subjects included 9 and 7 positive couples respectively. In conclusion, 10 years of cohabitation showed no influence on the periodontal condition of the spouses.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Comparison of an oscillating/rotating electric toothbrush and a 'sonic' toothbrush in plaque-removing ability. A professional toothbrushing and supervised brushing study.

The purpose of the present study was to compare the Braun/Oral-B Plak Control (D7) and Sonicare (S) in their plaque-removing efficacy. For this study, 35 university students (non-dental) were selected. This was a 2-part study. Prior to each appointment, all subjects were asked to abstain from all oral hygiene procedures for at least 24 h. In Part 1, the efficacy of the toothbrush was studied when one of the investigators brushed the teeth of the panellists. In Part 2, the efficacy of toothbrushing was studied after the students had received professional instruction. The available time for the brushing amounted to a total of 2 min per mouth. Dental plaque was evaluated by means of the Silness and Löe plaque index assessed at 6 sites per tooth. Results showed that both in Part 2 and Part 1 the D7 removed significantly more plaque than the S-electric toothbrush. The plaque reduction assessed according to Silness and Löe in Part 1 was for the D7, 1.28 and for the S, 1.12. In Part 2, the reductions were 0.90 and 0.80, respectively. The majority (n = 34) of subjects preferred the D7 over the S. In conclusion, the results of the present study show that the oscillating/rotating toothbrush (Braun/ Oral-B Plak Control) is more effective in plaque removal than the sonic electric toothbrush (Sonicare). In addition, given a choice, the panellists preferred the oscillating/rotating electric toothbrush.

Adult↗