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Objectives: To assess gingivitis and gingival bleeding following the consumption of Aged Garlic Extract versus placebo for a period of four months., Methods: A randomized, controlled, examiner-blind, two-treatment parallel group study was conducted. Participants were stratified and randomly assigned equally to a regimen group using Aged Garlic Extract (AGE) or a control group, based on gender, age, baseline number of bleeding sites, and gingival health status. Assessment was performed at baseline and at one, two, three, and four months. Clinical assessment was conducted by three experienced calibrated examiners., Results: One hundred and fifty-one participants followed the inclusion criteria; 50.3% males, with an average age of 32.7 ± 8.2 years. Only 134 subjects completed the four-month study (11.3% attrition rate). A statistically significant decrease of the Modified Gingival Index and Gingival Bleeding Index scores was shown for the AGE compared to the placebo group, both between and within groups (p < 0.001)., Conclusions: This research demonstrated that daily consumption of AGE benefits oral health by reducing gingival inflammation and gingival bleeding, as compared to a placebo control., Competing Interests: The authors have no financial interest in the product or in the company sponsoring this study., (Copyright© by the YES Group, Inc.)

Objective: Colgate Total toothpaste has been demonstrated to be highly effective in plaque and gingivitis control. The effect of triclosan on root caries and on the survival of dental crowns (fixed dental prosthetic treatment) has not been evaluated. In order to examine these important variables, a randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted comparing Colgate Total toothpaste with triclosan, and an identical fluoride toothpaste without triclosan., Methods: Adult subjects were randomly assigned to a test group using Colgate Total plus Whitening toothpaste with triclosan, and a control group using Colgate sodium fluoride toothpaste without triclosan. By the end of the study, following three years of product use, an evaluation was performed to compare baseline data to the three-year data for root caries and dental crown survival. Clinical root caries was evaluated by the Katz RCI- Root Caries Index. Within-treatment analysis for each dentifrice was conducted using a paired t-test. Between-treatment analysis was performed using Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA). For fixed dental prosthetic treatment evaluation, dental crowns were dichotomized for success and failure at the end of the study. Within-treatment analysis for each dentifrice was conducted using a paired t-test. Between-treatment analysis was performed using the Bonferroni test., Results: One-thousand, three-hundred, and fifty-seven subjects (1,357) completed the study. Regarding root caries, at termination of the study the Colgate Total group presented a mean score of 1.14 +/- 1.75 and a +5.6% change from baseline, while the sodium fluoride toothpaste presented a mean of 1.25 +/- 1.88 and a +43.2% change from baseline (p < 0.001). The adjusted mean root caries increment was 0.07 +/- 0.03 for the Colgate Total group, and 0.38 +/- 0.03 for the sodium fluoride toothpaste group (p < 0.001). Regarding crowns, at termination of the study the Colgate Total group presented a mean score of 5.38 +/- 3.70 and a +1.1% change from baseline, while the sodium fluoride toothpaste without triclosan presented a mean of 5.75 +/- 3.86 and a +3.8% change from baseline (p < 0.001). The mean (adjusted for multiple comparisons) dental crowns failure increment was 0.09 +/- 0.03 for the Colgate Total group, and 0.31 +/- 0.02 for the sodium fluoride toothpaste group (p < 0.001)., Conclusion: A comparison between the two study groups revealed a statistically significant difference for root caries and dental crown failure scores, both favoring the triclosan toothpaste (Colgate Total). The significantly lower root caries and observed dental crown failure scores among the Colgate Total toothpaste users indicate an effect of the triclosan and the copolymer system. These results are important and could provide a strong and valuable public health measure.

Objective: The elmex SENSITIVE extra soft toothbrush, with soft conical filaments designed for plaque removal specifically in the cervical area and interdental spaces, and gentleness for hypersensitive teeth with exposed dentine, was evaluated for plaque removal effectiveness, safety, and subjective satisfaction., Methods: One-hundred and seven healthy adults participated in the clinical trial designed according to American Dental Association (ADA) guidelines, and were randomly divided into a test group (N = 54) using the elmex brush, and a control group (N = 53) using the ADA reference brush. Subjects were chosen with gingival recession resulting in exposed dental necks and reported sensitivity, and were given a pre-study cleaning by a hygienist. Clinical examinations included the Rustogi plaque index (before and after brushing), and an examination for any soft lesion adverse effects, at baseline, 30, and 60 days. A subjective questionnaire, measuring satisfaction, sensitivity, and painless brushing, was administered at 30 and 60 days. An ANCOVA model, with baseline level as the covariate, was employed for testing clinical differences between groups at one and two months. The Mann-Whitney test measured differences in the satisfaction questionnaires., Results: The total plaque index, after brushing and at one and two months, demonstrated a significantly higher mean level for the control compared to the test group (3.05 vs. 2.16; p = 0.001 and 3.47 vs. 2.56; p = 0.0003, respectively). Similar significant differences were detected for plaque levels at the gingival margin and the proximal dental surfaces, after brushing at one and two months. No significant differences were found pre-brushing at any of the measurement points. Most subjective assessments of the two brushes at one and two months revealed significant differences in favor of the test brush., Conclusion: These results indicate an effective toothbrush for promoting oral health, and patient acceptance of a toothbrush with soft conical filaments intended specifically for sensitive teeth.

Objective: The present study was designed to evaluate the health promotion effectiveness, especially at the gingival margin, and the subjective satisfaction of a new toothbrush with soft conical filaments., Methodology: Sixty-eight healthy adult subjects participated in the clinical trial and were randomly divided into a test group (meridol toothbrush) or control group (standard ADA reference toothbrush). Subjects were given oral hygiene instructions and a pre-study cleaning by a dental hygienist. Clinical examinations included the Gingival Index (GI), Bleeding Index (BLI), and Patient Hygiene Performance Index (PHP) for plaque levels (before and after brushing), and were conducted at baseline, 30, and 60 days. A self-administered satisfaction questionnaire was applied at 30 and 60 days. The statistical test employed for change within each test group was repeated measures ANOVA, and ANCOVA was employed for between-group analysis. For measures of satisfaction, Fisher's Exact test was applied when comparing the percentages of answers., Results: For the GI, the test group demonstrated a highly significant statistical decrease (from GI = 0.22 to GI = 0.13, p = 0.0004). The control group showed less of a decrease with statistical significance (GI = 0.21 to GI = 0.16, p = 0.05). For the BLI, the test group also demonstrated a highly significant statistical decrease (from BLI = 0.29 to BLI = 0.11, p = 0.0013), while the control group showed a very small decrease with no statistical significance (BLI = 0.24 to BLI = 0.17). The analyses of the PHP plaque levels after brushing showed significant and similar decreases for both groups over the study period (test group: p = 0.04, controls: p = 0.01). In an analysis of PHP before brushing, both brushes showed increases from baseline to day 30. This increase continued from day 30 to day 60 for the control group. For the test group, there was a significant decrease from day 30 to day 60 (PHP = 0.84 to PHP = 0.75, p = 0.037). For satisfaction, a significantly higher percentage of test subjects expressed that the brush was "pleasant to use" as compared to controls, both at 30 and 60 days (77% vs. 48%, p = 0.02, 80% vs. 54%, p = 0.04, respectively)., Conclusion: The initial increase in plaque levels (before brushing) in the test group, is explained as a possible "learning curve" effect of using this new and unconventional brush. It is suggested that the conical filaments clean the subgingival pockets and that this is of important gingival health potential. This subgingival cleansing might not be adequately detected by the PHP index. These results might indicate a gingival health promotion potential for this toothbrush with conical filaments.

Objective: This study was designed to assess a newly developed toothbrush for efficacy in plaque removal, reduction of gingivitis and soft tissue bleeding, and retardation of stain formation over 30 days., Methodology: Healthy adult subjects (N = 112) were admitted to the study, and randomly given a test toothbrush, (the elmex interX medium) or the control toothbrush, an ADA-Accepted flat-bristle profile toothbrush. Additionally, the subjects were randomly assigned to be given oral hygiene instruction, or no formal oral hygiene instruction. Examinations and assessments were performed at baseline, 15 and 30 days, and included gingivitis levels, stain levels, bleeding on probing, and plaque levels before and after brushing., Results: No significant statistical differences were found between the two toothbrushes on gingivitis, nor on the stain index; however, over the course of the study the gingivitis decreased significantly (p = 0.012) for the test toothbrush group. For the bleeding index, a significant statistical difference (p = 0.027) was found at 30 days favoring the test toothbrush. There was also a significant decrease for the test toothbrush on bleeding over time (p = 0.004). Following overnight plaque formation, the before-brushing plaque levels were significantly different in favor of the test toothbrush at 15 days (p = 0.002), and again at 30 days (p = 0.001). Immediately after brushing, there was a significant statistical difference (p = 0.015) favoring the test toothbrush at 30 days., Conclusion: These results clearly indicate improved plaque removal and reduction of bleeding and gingivitis for the new elmex interX medium toothbrush compared to the ADA-Accepted control toothbrush.