Royal Philipsglobal health technology leader, announced new research that found twice-daily power brushing using the Philips Sonicare DiamondClean Smart toothbrush was significantly better at maintaining the results of a common early-stage gum disease treatment – scaling and root planing – from manual tooth brushing in adults with Stage I or II (periodontal) gum disease.
The research findings, carried out by clinical research experts Salus Research and published in International Journal of Dental Hygiene 1are an important contribution to establishing effective oral and dental health regimes for periodontitis sufferers to treat gingivitis and associated problems.
“The impact of poor oral health, including important issues such as gum disease and its link to other conditions such as cardiovascular and chronic respiratory disease, diabetes and cancer is well documented,” said Francesco Grillo, Chief Business Officer , Oral Healthcare at Philips. “Furthermore, periodontal disease, the sixth most common disease in humans, is a significant health, social and economic burden. 2. As a trusted partner to dentists, we always want to help patients achieve a higher degree of oral care at home between visits, with innovative solutions that have a real impact on improving people’s health. In our approach, this research is an important addition to the growing body of evidence demonstrating the benefits of using a Philips Sonicare toothbrush compared to manual tooth brushing.”
In 2021, the World Health Organization made oral health a much higher priority, which Philips has been championing for 30 years in partnership with the dental community. According to the WHO, severe periodontal diseases are estimated to affect approximately 19% of the global adult population, representing more than 1 billion cases worldwide 3. The main risk factors for periodontal disease are poor oral hygiene and tobacco use. The adoption of a milestone by the WHO analysis emphasized the importance of preventing oral disease both through regular dental checkups and good brushing at home.
Over the past decade, studies have shown the extent of periodontal gum disease worldwide. A survey in China, for example, revealed a periodontal disease prevalence rate of 52.8%–69.3% in the 35- to 74-year-old age group 3.
In the US, a survey of adults over 30 estimated its prevalence to be 42% with increasing age, with 70.1% of adults aged 65 and over having the disease 4.
The 24-week research study was conducted in the US with 328 randomized participants whose mean age was over 44 years, split 70:30 women to men, with 44.8% having Stage I periodontitis and 55.2% Stage II. It compared two treatment groups that cleaned their teeth twice a day, one powered toothbrush group that cleaned their teeth with a Philips Sonicare DiamondClean Smart toothbrush and the other a manual toothbrush. All participants received a subgingival cleaning (SRP) at the start of the study and used the same toothpaste and received replacement brush heads (Sonicare powered toothbrush group) or new toothbrushes (manual toothbrush group) every eight weeks. The two groups were evaluated every four weeks.
After 24 weeks, there was a statistically significant treatment difference between the electric toothbrush and manual toothbrush groups with respect to a number of indicators. For the bleeding on probing (BOP) measure, the measurement of gum inflammation that is a key symptom of gum disease, there was a 0.24 reduction in score for the Sonicare powered toothbrush group, compared to 0.02 for the manual toothbrush group – a statistically significant treatment difference of 0.22. There were also accompanying reductions in surface plaque – measured by the Modified Plaque Index (MPI) – and probing pocket depth (PPD), a widely used indicator of gingival health, resulting in statistically significant treatment differences of 0.86 and 0.24 , respectively.
The conclusion from the research is that when combined with scaling and root planing, daily home oral hygiene maintenance, including a Sonicare toothbrush, significantly reduced clinical symptoms of periodontitis and surface plaque levels, compared to a manual toothbrush in subjects with stage I and II periodontitis. Patients using the Sonicare powered toothbrush experienced a greater and sustained healing response than scaling and root planing therapy.
BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES
- The effects of scaling and root planing and home oral hygiene maintenance in the stage I/II periodontitis population: A 24-week randomized clinical trial. International Journal of Dental Hygiene (2024)
- World Health Organization Key Facts, 14 March 2023, Oral health (who.int)
- The prevalence and severity of periodontal disease in mainland China: Data from the Fourth National Oral Health Survey (2015–2016).
- Periodontitis in US adults: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2009-2014.
About Royal Philips
Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) is a leading health technology company focused on improving people’s health and well-being through meaningful innovation. Philips’ patient- and human-centered innovation leverages advanced technology and deep clinical and consumer insights to deliver personal health solutions for consumers and professional health solutions for healthcare providers and their patients in the hospital and at home. Based in the Netherlands, the company is a leader in diagnostic imaging, ultrasound, image-guided therapy, monitoring and enterprise IT, as well as personal health. Philips generated sales of €18.2 billion in 2023 and employs approximately 69,700 employees with sales and service in more than 100 countries. You can find news about Philips at www.philips.com/newscenter.
