October 2018

Objective: A clinical equipoise exists between the plaque reducing efficacies of two of the most commonly used dentifrices in India. This study compared the plaque removal efficacy of a commercially available tooth powder with commercially available toothpaste in young adults. Methods: This was an investigator-blinded randomized controlled clinical trial with crossover design conducted among 89 young adults aged 18 - 25 years. Interventions were a commercially available tooth powder and toothpaste. Plaque scores were measured at baseline, after 24 hours and seven days. Results: At baseline, the mean plaque scores were 0.97 ± 0.30 and 0.93 ± 0.34 for the toothpaste and tooth powder groups, respectively. After 24 hours without any oral hygiene activity, the scores increased to 2.41 ± 0.54 and 2.42 ± 0.52, respectively. After seven days of using the intervention, the mean plaque scores were 2.12 ± 0.53 in the toothpaste group and 2.11 ± 0.56 in the tooth powder group. There was no significant difference between the groups at baseline and follow-up visits. Within each group, there was a significant difference in the plaque scores between the follow-up visits. Conclusions: The present study suggests comparable plaque removal efficacy of tooth powders and toothpastes.