Plaque scores after 1 or 2 minutes of toothbrushing A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Aim: To evaluate the difference in plaque score reduction achieved by 1 and 2 min of toothbrushing, based on data from single brushing exercises.

Methods: MEDLINE-PubMed, Cochrane-CENTRAL databases and the first five pages of Google Scholar were searched for randomised controlled trials. Extracted data were summarised in a descriptive and, if possible, a meta-analysis using standardised mean difference (SMD). Separate analyses were performed for manual (MTB) and powered (PTB) toothbrushes.

Results: Based on the selection criteria, the search identified five unique eligible publications providing 16 comparisons. For both toothbrush types, 2 min of brushing resulted in a significantly higher plaque score reduction. The SMD of 1 versus 2 min of brushing using MTB was 0.69 [95% CI: 0.06, 1.33] (p = 0.03) can be interpreted as a medium size effect and the SMD of using a PTB was 0.47 [95% CI: 0.28, 0.66], (p < 0.00001) interpreted as a small size effect.

Conclusion: With respect to plaque scores, based on single brushing exercises, there is moderate certainty for the recommendation to brush for 2 min over 1 min.