Mechanical stimulation by toothbrushing increases oxygen sufficiency in human gingivae.

We studied the immediate effect of mechanical stimulation with a toothbrush on oxygen sufficiency in human gingivae. Teeth were brushed with a modified Bass technique at various forces (100, 200, and 300 g) for various times (5, 10, and 30 s). Hemoglobin (Hb) oxygen saturation was measured before and intermittently for 60 min after brushing, by non-invasive tissue reflectance spectrophotometry. Hb oxygen saturation increased within a few min after brushing and then slowly returned to the initial level. Toothbrushing at 200 g for 10 s caused the longest-lived increase in Hb oxygen saturation; saturation remained about 6% above the baseline level for more than 25 min. Before brushing, Hb oxygen saturation was significantly lower in inflamed gingivae than in healthy gingivae (p < 0.05). After brushing of inflamed gingivae, the Hb oxygen saturation almost reached the level measured in healthy gingivae before brushing. These findings suggest that stimulation with a toothbrush increases oxygen sufficiency in both healthy and inflamed gingivae.