Randomized clinical trial on the efficacy of electric and manual toothbrushes in plaque removal and gingivitis control in visually impaired school students

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of electric or manual toothbrushes in plaque removal and gingivitis control in visually impaired adolescents. Method and Materials: A randomized, controlled, examiner-blind crossover design was used in the study. Study subjects were 12- to 16-year-old visually impaired students from the School for the Blind in Guangzhou. Students in the test group used electric toothbrushes, whereas those in the control group used manual toothbrushes. The study consisted of two stages. Oral health status of the students was recorded at baseline, 2 weeks, and 4 weeks of each stage. In total, 42 visually impaired students were recruited in the study at baseline during the first stage. Quigley-Hein Plaque Index (Q-H PI) and Loe and Silness Gingival Index (GI) were used. One-way repeated measures analysis of variance followed by post hoc analysis was used to compare the mean Q-H PI and GI scores obtained at baseline, 2-week, and 4-week examinations between the test and control groups. Results: In total, 33 subjects completed the study. No significant differences were noted between the two groups regarding Q-H PI and GI at baseline, whereas Q-H PI and GI values of the test group were significant reduced compared with those of the control group at 2 weeks and 4 weeks (P .001). Conclusion: An electric toothbrush reduced plaque and gingivitis more than manual toothbrushing among visually impaired school children.