Comparative Efficacy of Two Sonic Toothbrushes on Plaque

Objective: Compare the plaque removal efficacy and safety of Philips Sonicare FlexCare (PSF) and Oral-B Sonic Complete (OSC) power toothbrushes. Methods: A randomized, parallel arm, examiner-blinded study was conducted in a population of healthy adults who were routine manual toothbrush users. At V1 subjects were screened for eligibility (Lobene and Soparkar Modification of Quigley-Hein Plaque Index (LSPI) >1.8). Subjects were randomized to the assigned power toothbrush and instructed on its use (twice daily for 2 minutes). All subjects were dispensed Crest Cool Mint Gel dentifrice. Study products were used for a 1-week familiarization period. Subjects abstained from oral hygiene for 24 hours prior to V2. At V2, (LSPI) was scored before and after a 2-minute supervised brushing exercise. Safety was assessed in oral soft tissue examinations prior to all assessments of plaque. ANOVA was used for statistical analysis. Results: Of 141 subjects enrolled (117 females, 24 males; mean age 40 years), 70 were randomized to PSF and 71 to OSC. Randomization was balanced for gender. Mean (SD) overall LSPI for the PSF group at V1 screening was 3.14(0.37) and for OSC 3.12 (0.36). Mean (SD) pre-brush LSPI scores at V2 were 2.85 (0.32) and 2.95 (0.30) for the PSF and OSC groups respectively. Post-brushing percent reduction for PSF and OSC was 83% and 79% overall (p=0.0071), 78% and 72% for posterior (p=0.0027) and 83% and 78% for interproximal (p=0.0042). Both products were safe on oral hard and soft tissues. Conclusions: PSF removed significantly more plaque than OSC in subjects with 24-hour plaque deposits. Both toothbrushes were safe on oral tissues. Research was supported by Philips Oral Healthcare.