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Aim The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the efficacy of anti-plaque chemical formulations for managing gingivitis, in 6-month, home-use, randomised clinical trials ( RCTs). Material and Methods A protocol was designed, including inclusion and exclusion criteria to identify RCTs assessing gingival and/or bleeding indices. Electronic and hand-searches identified relevant papers, which were screened and evaluated for inclusion. Full-papers were retrieved and relevant information was extracted (also plaque indices), including quality and risk of bias. Mean treatment effects were calculated to obtain weighted mean differences ( WMD) and 95% confidence intervals. Results After the process of screening and selection, 87 articles with 133 comparisons, were included in the review. The additional effects of the tested products were statistically significant in terms of Löe & Silness gingival index (46 comparisons, WMD −0.217), modified gingival index ( n = 23, −0.415), gingivitis severity index ( n = 26, −14.939%) or bleeding index ( n = 23, −7.626%), with significant heterogeneity. For plaque, additional effects were found for Turesky (66 studies, WMD −0.475), Silness & Löe ( n = 26, −0.109), and plaque severity ( n = 12, −23.4%) indices, with significant heterogeneity. Conclusion Within the limitations of the present study, formulations with specific agents for chemical plaque control provide statistically significant improvements in terms of gingival, bleeding and plaque indices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate efficacy in children affected by Down syndrome of "Digital Brush" in terms of Plaque Index reduction added to the daily oral hygiene procedures.Methods: A total of 56 patients with Down syndrome were recruited and randomly assigned in two groups: both control and test groups underwent standard hygiene procedures of tooth brushing twice a day followed by the intervention of Digital Brush, TNT gauze impregnated with chlorhexidine 0.12%, for the test group and by sterile gauze soaked in water for the control group. Initial plaque index was measured for all patients (T0), subsequently were instructed to use either Digital Brush or gauze soaked with water for 2 weeks. At last, patients were reevaluated (T1) and the plaque index measured.Results: Plaque index improvement from T0 to T1 in control group was 11.7%, while in test group was 24.1%. The mean differences between test and control group was statistically significant (p < 0.001).Conclusions: This study demonstrates how the Digital Brush, added to the daily oral hygiene procedures, obtains significant improvements in supragingival plaque control in children with Down syndrome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To conduct a feasibility study on investigating the effectiveness of an alcohol-free essential oil mouthwash (AF-EOMW) to reduce plaque accumulation and oral pathogen levels in institutionalised elders receiving long-term care and to obtain preliminary results.Background: Although simple, cost-effective strategies to improve oral hygiene in seniors such as the use of mouthwashes have been shown to reduce the risks of respiratory diseases, little information is available on the feasibility of implementing these measures.Methods: Twenty-five elderly participants with significant loss of autonomy were initially recruited and divided into two groups. A test group rinsed with an AF-EOMW twice a day, and a control group rinsed with tap water. Data on demographic characteristics, dental history and tobacco use were collected from a questionnaire. Problems encountered during recruitment and data collection were documented. Plaque index, denture cleanliness and salivary levels of several pathogens were measured at three time points: baseline (T0 ), day 22 (T1 ) and day 45 (T2 ).Results: Eighteen participants completed the study. Several problems were encountered during recruitment and execution of the study protocol. No significant differences in clinical or microbiological measures were found between the test group and controls at three time points (p > 0.05).Conclusion: This pilot study shows that, if sufficient logistical and financial resources are available, it is feasible to conduct randomised clinical trials in a seniors' facility. The use of an AF-EOMW to improve oral hygiene in seniors was not found to be superior to tap water. However, larger controlled clinical studies are needed to confirm these results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]