Philips Sonicare FlexCare - Sonicare.com - Sonicare

Effect of the Sonicare FlexCare
Power Toothbrush on Fluoride
Delivery Through Streptococcus
mutans Biofilms
Abstract
Caries are caused by dental plaque biofilms that create acids when they metabolize dietary sugars such as sucrose.
Fluoride can prevent caries by (1) enhancing remineralization of tooth enamel, (2) reducing enamel solubility in
acidic conditions, and (3) inhibiting or modifying biofilm metabolism and reducing acidification. The efficacy of fluoride
is not systemic but topical. Therefore, more effective delivery of fluoride to stagnation sites, such as the interproximal
regions of posterior teeth, may contribute to the reduction of caries in these regions. Power brushing generates
turbulence and currents in the fluid (ie, toothpaste-saliva mixture), and it is expected to increase the delivery of
fluoride and other solutes into otherwise stagnant areas. To test this hypothesis, we used a 2-chamber method in
which we measured the rate at which fluoride passed from one chamber into the other through a biofilm-colonized
cellulose ester membrane under 3 conditions: no brushing, rotary power brushing (Oral-B Triumph Professional Care
9000), and sonic brushing (Sonicare FlexCare). For comparative purposes, we used the mass transfer coefficient
(K) of fluoride, which is a measure of how quickly fluoride is delivered through the biofilm-colonized membrane.
Power brushing significantly increased the delivery rate of fluoride through the biofilm compared with no brushing
(P