Background: Dental plaque is the primary aetiological factor for the exacerbation of periodontal diseases and caries formation. The effective removal of dental plaque is essential for the prevention of periodontal disease and dental caries. The most common device used for mechanical plaque control is either a manual or power toothbrush. Its efficacy is limited to the surfaces of the teeth it can access, another device is needed to clean the interdental areas and surrounding gingiva. Many people have difficulty accomplishing this with traditional dental floss and recently plaque removing potency of oral irrigators is regaining significance.
Aim: 1.To compare the effectiveness of a oral irrigator along with twice toothbrushing to twice toothbrushing alone on the reduction of plaque, bleeding and gingivitis.
2. To study the topographical distribution of plaque formation and gingival health using oral irrigator in gingivitis patients.
Materials and methods: Thirty patients (aged 18–26) with gingivitis were included in the study. Group A- 15 subjects with twice brushing daily, group B- 15 subjects with jet irrigator+ brushing twice daily.
Clinical parameters were recorded at base line and after 21days. Plaque were assessed using the Plaque Index (Silness & Löe 1964) and Gingival Index (Löe & Silness 1963). Bleeding on probing were recorded after 21days.
Results: The mean values for the bleeding index, gingival index, and plaque index were reduced from baseline at 21days, (mean sulcular bleeding index- group B: 1.30±0.54 to 0.06±0.08, group A: 1.24±0.49 to 0.23±0.06), (mean gingival index - group B: 5.62±2.08 to 0.48±0.63, group A: 5.94±1.23 to 1.38±0.45), (mean plaque index- group B: 1.38±0.34 to 0.08±0.11, group A: 1.31±0.33 to 0.23±0.14).
Conclusion: Within the limits of this clinical study, it may be concluded that the Oral Irrigator paired with a manual toothbrush is effective in controlling plaque and gingivitis in patients.
Impact Factor
2022: 6.012
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