1. Influence of tongue brushing and scraping on the oral microflora of periodontitis patients
- Author
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Christel Dekeyser, Isabelle Laleman, Wim Teughels, Marc Quirynen, and Richard Koop
- Subjects
Male ,0301 basic medicine ,Saliva ,Oral Microflora ,Dentistry ,law.invention ,COLONIZATION ,0302 clinical medicine ,law ,Medicine ,periodontitis ,tongue coating ,Middle Aged ,MICROBIOTA ,PLAQUE ,VOLATILE SULFUR-COMPOUNDS ,medicine.anatomical_structure ,BACTERIA ,Periodontics ,Female ,HEALTH ,Toothbrush ,Life Sciences & Biomedicine ,Adult ,EXTRACTION ,HALITOSIS ,Dental Devices, Home Care ,03 medical and health sciences ,Tongue ,Dentistry, Oral Surgery & Medicine ,MALODOR ,Humans ,In patient ,Periodontitis ,tongue cleaning ,Science & Technology ,business.industry ,microbiology ,030206 dentistry ,Oral Hygiene ,medicine.disease ,Bacterial Load ,BREATH ODOR ,Tongue cleaning ,030104 developmental biology ,Tongue coating ,business - Abstract
Objective To examine the effect of tongue cleaning with a tongue scraper (TS) or toothbrush (TB) in patients with periodontitis. Background The tongue is a possible reservoir for bacterial (re)colonization of the periodontal tissues in patients with periodontitis. To date, it is not known what the influence of tongue cleaning is on the tongue coating of patients with periodontitis. Material and Methods Eighteen systemically healthy, untreated moderate to severe adult patients with periodontitis with some degree of tongue coating were randomly assigned to the use of a TS or TB for cleaning the tongue. Microbial load of the saliva and tongue dorsum, amount of tongue coating and patient perception about tongue cleaning were studied at baseline and 2 weeks later. Results Two weeks of tongue cleaning with either a TB or a TS, did not influence the microbiological counts, neither in the saliva, nor in the tongue coating, even though tongue coating was significantly less. The patients themselves experienced no differences in breath odour or taste sensation after 2 weeks of tongue cleaning; however, they felt that their tongue was cleaner at the end of the study compared to baseline. No differences could be detected between the uses of a TS vs a TB. Conclusion In patients with periodontitis, tongue cleaning does not influence the bacterial load in the saliva or on the tongue dorsum.
- Published
- 2018