Effect of experimental moringa and propolis toothpastes on surface microhardness of simulated hypersensitive dentin

Objective Objective was to investigate the effect of NovaMin toothpaste and two experimental toothpastes on surface microhardness of hypersensitive dentin. Methods Eighty specimens were prepared and divided randomly into eight groups (n = 10/group) according to the tested toothpastes (NovaMin, moringa and propolis toothpastes) and the acidic challenge (with or without 6% citric acid challenge). Enamel surfaces were removed, and the dentin surfaces were exposed on which the three tested toothpastes were brushed twice a day for 1 week using an electric toothbrush, then a 4-d citric acid cycling model with pH 5 was performed. The prepared specimens were stored in artificial saliva until the microhardness test was performed. Statistical analysis was done using One-way ANOVA followed by Tukey post hoc test. Results NovaMin-containing toothpaste showed an increased dentin surface microhardness following a week of twice daily brushing compared to other groups. However, NovaMin-containing toothpaste showed the highest microhardness values following pH cycling with citric acid of pH 5 compared to other tested groups. Conclusions NovaMin-containing toothpaste showed a partial recovery of dentin microhardness at pH 5 during the acidic challenge. Moreover, propolis- and moringa-containing toothpastes had an insignificant effect on dentin surface microhardness with and without citric acid challenge.

Effectiveness of the Use of Manual and Electric Toothbrushes and the Effect of Educational Brushing Teeth with Video Animation on OHI-S Children with Down syndrome

Background: Down Syndrome children have better ability in capturing instructions visually. The audio-visual learning method can be applied to Down Syndrome children. Electric toothbrushes were made to make it easier for them to brush their teeth, besides those electric toothbrushes have a handle that is comfortable to hold and control. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness of electric and manual toothbrushes on Down Syndrome children OHI-S scores and determine the effect of education on tooth brushing with animated videos on Down Syndrome children OHI-S scores. Methods: Subjects of the study were 34 Down Syndrome children aged 6-19 years in Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia. OHI-S scores were recorded before and after the subjects were educated to brush their teeth with animated videos or dental phantoms. OHI-S scores were also recorded before and after the subjects brushed their teeth using manual toothbrushes or electric toothbrushes. Results: The test results Independent T-test (p> 0.05) showed there was no significant difference between tooth brushing using a manual toothbrush and an electric toothbrush to the decline of OHI-S score of Down Syndrome children. The results of the Mann-Whitney statistical test were p> 0.05, that there was no significant difference in the reduction in OHI-S scores between Down Syndrome children who were educated with animated videos and dental phantoms. Conclusion: There was no significant difference between manual toothbrushes and electric toothbrushes and there was no significant influence of Down Syndrome OHI-S children who were educated with animated videos or dental phantoms.

Determination of the Whitening Effect of Toothpastes on Human Teeth

Objective: The desire of individuals to have whiter teeth increases the interest in tooth whitening products. Our aim was to in vitro study the whitening effect of hydrogen peroxide, blue covarine and active charcoal containing whitening toothpastes on human teeth. Materials and Methods: A total of 40 extracted human incisor teeth were used in the study. To measure the whitening effect of toothpastes, the teeth were divided into four subgroups and placed in the phantom tooth jaw model. Then, daily brushing was done with an electric toothbrush. The colors of the teeth were measured initially using the spectrophotometer (single point and bleached shade mode) and at the end of 7th, 14th and 28th days. Whitening effectiveness of toothpastes were studied according to CIEDE2000 formula (∆E00) and shade guide units (SGU). One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey test were used in the statistical analysis of the data. (p<0.05). Results: Activated charcoal containing toothpaste showed the greatest whitening effect at the end of 7th, 14th and 28th days (p<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference between the whitening effects of hydrogen peroxide and conventional toothpaste (p>0.05). Blue covarine containing toothpaste had statistically the lowest whitening effect (p<0.05). Conclusions: All toothpastes showed a whitening effect on the teeth after 7 days of use. Activated charcoal containing toothpaste showed more whitening effect after 28 days of use than hydrogen peroxide, blue covarine and traditional toothpaste.

“Strong Teeth”: the acceptability of an early-phase feasibility trial of an oral health intervention delivered by dental teams to parents of young children

Background Dental caries (tooth decay) in children is a worldwide public health problem. The leading cause of caries is poor oral hygiene behaviours and the frequent consumption of sugary foods and drinks. Changing oral health habits requires effective behaviour change conversations. The dental practice provides an opportunity for dental teams to explore with parents the oral health behaviours they undertake for their young children (0–5 years old). However, evidence suggests that dental teams need further support, training and resources. Therefore, “Strong Teeth” (an oral health intervention) was co-developed to help dental teams undertake these behaviour change conversations. The current paper will explore the acceptability of the “Strong Teeth” intervention with dental teams and parents of children aged 0–5 years old using multiple datasets (interviews, focus groups and dental team member diaries) Methods Following the delivery of the “Strong Teeth” intervention, qualitative interviews with parents and focus groups with dental team members were undertaken. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed and analysed using a theoretical framework of acceptability. The self-reported dental team diaries supplemented the interviews and focus groups and were analysed using framework analysis. Results Four themes were developed: (1) integration within the dental practice; (2) incorporating the Oral-B electric toothbrush; (3) facilitating discussions and demonstrations; and (4) the practicality of the Disney Magic Timer app. Overall, the “Strong Teeth” intervention was acceptable to parents and dental teams. Parents felt the Oral-B electric toothbrush was a good motivator; however, the Disney Magic Timer app received mixed feedback on how well it could be used effectively in the home setting. Findings suggest that the intervention was more acceptable as a “whole team approach” when all members of the dental practice willingly participated. Conclusions There are limited studies that use a robust process evaluation to measure the acceptability of an intervention. The use of the theoretical framework of acceptability helped identify aspects of the intervention that were positive and helped identify the interventions areas for enhancement moving forwards. Future modifications include enhanced whole team approach training to optimise acceptability to all those involved. Trial registration ISRCTN Register, (ISRCTN10709150).

Accidental Oral Injuries by Electric Toothbrush: A Report of Three Cases

In recent years, electric toothbrushes have become widespread. However, injuries caused by electric toothbrushes have rarely been reported. We describe three cases of oral penetrating injuries caused by electric toothbrushes. Case 1 occurred in a disabled boy while brushing due to unexpected movement. In Case 2, a mother using an electric toothbrush had fallen when bumped by her child. Case 3 involved a man using the toothbrush while taking a bath, who slipped in the bathtub. Cases 1 and 3 were using sonic toothbrushes, and Case 2 was using an oscillating-rotating toothbrush. Electric toothbrushes can cause oral penetrating injuries and infections in the same manner as manual toothbrushes. Prevention of oral trauma requires familiarity with the form and function of electric toothbrushes. Some room for improvement remains in optimizing the form of electric toothbrushes.

Bristle Motion, Forces, and Related Vertical Translation for a Novel Electric Toothbrush Design

This paper presents a combination of theoretical and experimental techniques applied to characterize the bristle motion, forces, and related vertical translation for a novel electric toothbrush design with a linear drive system. Results of the theoretical description, based on a single filament, were successfully compared with laboratory-based investigations: force measurements and high-speed video analysis, and tracking the toothbrush motion. This work describes the vertical translation induced in the toothbrush head, of up to 250 μm, when the toothbrush bristles are applied against a contact surface at brushing loads of approximately 1 N to 2.5 N. Using these techniques, including Fast-Fourier transform analysis, it is shown that the vertical motion of the head is composed of the driving frequency and its harmonics.

Treatment Success and User-Friendliness of An Electric Toothbrush App: A Pilot Study

Electronic and mobile health (eHealth/mHealth) are rapidly growing areas in medicine and digital technologies are gaining importance. In dentistry, digitalization is also an emerging topic, whereby more and more applications are being offered. As an example, using real-time feedback, digital application software (an app) was designed to help users brush their teeth more accurately. However, there is no data on the effectiveness and haptic of such apps. Therefore, a single-blinded, randomized controlled clinical trial was designed: twenty volunteers received an electric toothbrush with an associated app to assess whether the app-assisted toothbrushing is better than without. After a short period of familiarization with the electric toothbrush, plaque index (O‘Leary et al. 1972) was recorded and subjects were assigned to the test (with app; n = 10) or the control group (no app; n = 10). At the end of the 2-week pilot study period, plaque was again assessed and participants in the test group completed a questionnaire about the app’s user-friendliness. Statistical analysis revealed no significant differences between the test and control groups. The plaque index improved on average by 8.5% points in the test and 4.7% points in the control group. Fifty percent of the test group participants were of the opinion that they had achieved better cleaning results and would recommend the app to others, although the app contributed only marginally to increased plaque removal. However, such apps may nevertheless be helpful as motivational tools, especially when tracking and monitoring cleaning data. Therefore, more development and research on this topic is indicated.