Method: After IRB approval and informed consent, subjects were screened to identify healthy adults with overnight plaque. Baseline measurements were obtained, and subjects were randomized equally to a daily oral hygiene regimen or regular oral hygiene control. The regimen group received an advanced manual brush with crisscross bristles, a stannous-containing 0.321% sodium fluoride dentifrice and a 0.07% cetyl pyridinium chloride rinse, while the control group received a regular 0.76% sodium monoflurophosphate paste and regular flat manual brush. Test products were dispensed in blinded kits with outcomes measured after 2 & 4 weeks of unsupervised at-home use. Fluorescein-disclosed plaque levels were measured before and after brushing as area % coverage from high-resolution images of the anterior facial dentition collected under standard lighting conditions, while safety was assessed from clinical examination.
Result: A total of 44 subjects were evaluated. Adjusting for baseline, Week 2 mean (SD) pre-brush and post-brush plaque levels were 7.1 (0.9) and 3.9 (0.4) in the regimen group versus 14.3 (1.1) and 6.7 (0.5) in the regular control. Week 4 outcomes were similar, both for overnight and post-brush plaque. Groups differed significantly (p<0.001) on pre-brush and post-brush plaque coverage at both time points, favoring the manual brush regimen combination.
Conclusion: Use of a combination daily oral hygiene brush, paste and rinse regimen resulted in significant improvement in overnight plaque accumulation and post-brushing plaque cleaning relative to regular care. This simple combination may represent a useful approach to achieve sustained plaque control, even without routine prophylaxis.