Quantification of gingival contour and volume from digital impressions as a novel method for assessing gingival health.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the novel assessment of gingival contour volume measurement from digital impressions compared with traditional clinical indices (Modified Gingival Index and Bleeding Index) and oral microflora following a dental prophylaxis. METHODS: Following baseline examinations and full mouth digital impression using the LAVA™ Oral Chairside Scanner (COS), subjects had one maxillary quadrant and the contra-lateral mandibular quadrant randomly allocated to receive a complete dental prophylaxis. Subjects then brushed twice daily at home using a standard toothpaste. After 1, 2, 4, 6 and 12 weeks gingivitis examinations and digital impressions of the maxillary and mandibular arches were taken. RESULTS: Significant improvements in gingivitis for the prophylaxis versus no prophylaxis quadrants were observed up to six weeks using both the traditional gingivitis indices and the assessment of change in gingival contour volume from the digital impressions. CONCLUSION: The assessment of changes in gingival contour volume may be a promising technique for the objective and quantitative clinical evaluation of products or procedures used to treat gingivitis. The effects of a dental prophylaxis were demonstrated by both this novel measure and traditional clinical indices.

Impact of different tongue cleaning methods on the bacterial load of the tongue dorsum.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the extent and duration of the effect of tongue cleaning procedures on bacterial load on the dorsal surface of the tongue. METHODS: 19 subjects participated in this blinded crossover study. Subjects abstained from oral hygiene, eating and drinking from 22:00 h the previous evening. Tongue samples were collected at baseline and within 15 minutes of one of three procedures: teeth brushing alone; teeth brushing plus tongue scraping; teeth brushing plus tongue cleaning using a high speed vacuum ejector and irrigation with 20 ml antibacterial mouthwash. Subjects then brushed twice daily for 3 days apart from the second group who additionally scraped their tongue twice daily. On day 4, baseline and post-treatment samples were collected as per day 1. Bacteria (total anaerobes, Gram-negative anaerobes, VSC-producing bacteria and Streptococcus saliuarius) were enumerated using appropriate selective media. RESULTS: The tongue dorsum was colonized by all 4 bacterial categories (log(10) 6-8 cfu/sample). For subjects who brushed their teeth only, there was a significant reduction from baseline for S. saliuarius only. In contrast, tooth brushing plus tongue scraping resulted in statistically significant reductions from baseline for all bacterial categories (range log(10) 0.11-0.40 cfu/sample). Highly statistically significant reductions (log(10) 1.11-1.96 cfu/sample) were observed for subjects who underwent thorough tongue cleaning with the saliva ejector/mouthwash. To determine longevity of treatment effects, baseline bacterial loads for days 1 and 4 were compared. Only daily tongue scraping resulted in statistical significant reduction in baseline microbial loads on day 4. CONCLUSION: While mechanical tongue cleaning with or without chemical intervention can reduce bacterial load on the tongue, this effect is transient, and regular tongue cleaning is required to provide a long lasting (overnight) reduction in bacterial numbers. Nevertheless, tongue cleaning is an oral hygiene procedure that is little practiced due to discomfort and/or lack of awareness on the part of dental professionals and their patients.

A clinical study to assess the breath protection efficacy of denture adhesive.

This randomized and controlled, examiner-blind, 3-period, crossover clinical trial was designed to determine the effect of an experimental denture adhesive, a marketed denture adhesive (European Fixodent( Fresh), or no denture adhesive on the breath odor of 37 adults wearing full maxillary and mandibular dentures. Breath quality was measured at baseline and at 3 and 6 hours after the start of each treatment period via monitoring of volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) using a halimeter and second-person organoleptic grading. A 48-hour washout phase separated treatment periods. There were no statistically significant differences in VSCs between any of the treatment regimens over 6 hours. Both the denture adhesive treatments were superior in breath quality improvement in organoleptic scores compared to no denture adhesive at 3 and 6 hours (p=0.0001). This research demonstrates the ability of both an experimental and marketed denture adhesive to deliver superior second-person breath benefits relative to no adhesive. The results indicate that Fixodent denture adhesives provide the denture wearer with a noticeable improvement in breath.