Abstract
Aim of the study: is to assess the influence of toothbrush wear on plaque index (PI) and gingival (GI)index. Materials and Methods: twenty dental students participated, before the beginning of the study,all the students received a prophylactic scaling and polishing by the operator, the PI and GI were recordedat the starting point T0, each student received an identical toothbrush and toothpaste and wereinstructed to brush twice daily, after one month at T1, the students were randomly divided in to twogroups, group no. 1 used the same brush provided at T1, while group no. 2 substituted the toothbrush ateach monthly examination. Recalls were scheduled after one (T1), two (T2) and three months (T3), theplaque and (PI) gingival index (GI) of Loe and Sillness, in addition to Rawls et al index of wear fortoothbrush were measured at each monthly examination. Results: showed that from T0 to T3 that thePI and GI were increasing with statistically significant difference in between each group. In comparingbetween the two groups PI showed a significant difference at T2 and T3, and although mean values ofGI in group not changing toothbrushes were slightly higher, significant difference was observed at T3only. The WI had a statistically significant difference as toothbrush bristles deteriorated, and there wasa positive relationship between the PI and WI in the group of students that did not change theirtoothbrush because as the toothbrush bristles splayed and deteriorated, the plaque values increased.Conclusion: it can be therefore concluded from the results obtained in this study, that the capacity toremove dental plaque is much related to toothbrush wear.
