Holistic

Assignment:
Ionic
Toothbrush
By: Sarah Best, Cassidey Ouellette,
Tianna Straatman, Alexandria Vitale
Ionic
toothbrush
Background Questions
Who will use this product?

People who want to use more natural products

People who do not want to use toothpaste or other chemicals

What does the product claim to do?

The product claims to reduce plaque and improve gingival health

Where can you get this product?

This product is available online

When/why would someone prefer to use this product?

Foreground Questions
Clients may ask:

Is using an ionic toothbrush better than using an electric toothbrush?

Should I use an ionic toothbrush with or without toothpaste?

What research should I look at to make my final decision about using an ionic
toothbrush?

Is an ionic toothbrush as effective as a traditional toothbrush?

Is it more expensive than a traditional toothbrush?

The first step in finding accurate research for this topic would be using keywords to
Case Study: Mary Molarrs
Mary, a 56 year old woman, comes in for her regular dental visits every 6 months.
During the medical history update, she reveals she is undergoing chemo treatments
and has started them 3 months ago for breast cancer. Her chief complaint is that her
mouth is burning and is constantly dry no matter what she does to relieve it. Her
naturopath suggested an ionic toothbrush and she would like to know more about
the effectiveness of it.
Case Study: P.I.C.O
Person: Clients undergoing chemotherapy treatments and experiencing oral
side effects

Intervention: Using an ionic toothbrush

Comparison: Traditional electric toothbrush

Outcome: Significant reduction in plaque accumulation

For clients experiencing oral side effects of chemo treatment, is an ionic toothbrush
more effective at removing plaque than a traditional electric toothbrush?
Search Strategy
To begin our search we used the following inclusion criteria:

Peer reviewed journals

Quantitative studies

Key words used: ionic toothbrush, plaque, gingivitis

Exclusion criteria:

Qualitative studies

Non-peer reviewed studies

Studies older than 10 years

Recommendations
Scientific evidence

Ionic toothbrush is equally as effective in removing plaque and improving overall gingival conditions (Singh, G.,
Mehta, D. S., Chopra, S., & Khatri, M., 2011)

No evidence of soft tissue trauma with use over a period of time (Vandana, Chandrashekar, Savitha &
Deshmukh, 2006)

The effectiveness of manual versus powered toothbrushes for plaque removal and gingival health (Vibhute A,
Vandana KL, 2012)

Scientific evidence

"The negative electrons attract positive hydrogen ions from the acid in the plaque, breaking it down on a
molecular level." (DentistryIQ, 2017).

Clinicians expertise

Mechanical action of brush will aid in biofilm removal

References
Singh, G., Mehta, D. S., Chopra, S., & Khatri, M. (2011). Comparison of sonic and ionic toothbrush in reduction in
plaque and gingivitis. Journal of Indian Society of Periodontology, 15(3), 210214. http://doi.org/10.4103/t0972-124X.85662

Ionic Toothbrush. (2017). Retrieved from http://www.dragonsandfairydust.co.uk/toothbrush/

Dr. Tungs. (2017). Retrieved from https://drtungs.com/blog/

The effectiveness of manual versus powered toothbrushes for plaque removal and gingival health: A meta-analysis

Akshay Vibhute, K. L. Vandana

J Indian Soc Periodontol. 2012 Apr-Jun; 16(2): 156160. doi: 10.4103/0972-124X.99255

PMCID:PMC3459492

Ener-Chi Wellness Center. (2017). Research Results - Ionic Toothbrushes - Ener-Chi Wellness Center. [online] Available at:
http://www.ener-chi.com/wellness-products/soladey-ionic-toothbrushes/research-results/ [Accessed 23 Jun. 2017].
Vandana, K., Chandrashekar, K., Savitha, B., & Deshmukh, J. (2006). Clinical evaluation of an ionic tooth
brush on oral hygiene status, gingival status, and microbial parameter. Indian Journal Of Dental Research,
17(2), 74. http://dx.doi.org/10.4103/0970-9290.29887

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23055578
The End