How effective is a powered toothbrush as compared to a manual toothbrush? A systematic review and meta‐analysis of single brushing exercises

Objectives: In adult participants, what is, following a single brushing exercise, the efficacy of a powered toothbrush (PTB) as compared to a manual toothbrush (MTB) on plaque removal?. Methods: MEDLINE-PubMed and Cochrane-CENTRAL were searched from inception to February 2019. The inclusion criteria were (randomized) controlled clinical trials conducted in human subjects ≥18 years of age, in good general health and without periodontitis, orthodontic treatment, implants and/or removable prosthesis. Papers evaluating a PTB compared with a MTB in a single brushing exercise were included. When plaque scores were assessed according to the Quigley-Hein plaque index (Q&HPI) or the Rustogi modified Navy plaque index (RMNPI). From the eligible studies, data were extracted. A meta-analysis and subanalysis for brands and mode of action being oscillating-rotating (OR) and side-to-side (SS) were performed when feasible. Results: Independent screening of 3450 unique papers resulted in 17 eligible publications presenting 36 comparisons. In total, 28 comparisons assessed toothbrushing efficacy according to the Q&HPI and eight comparisons used the RMNPI. Results showed a significant effect in favour of the PTB. The difference of Means (DiffM) was −0.14 (P < 0.001; 95%CI [−0.19; −0.09]) for the Q&HPI and −0.10 (P < 0.001; 95%CI [−0.14; −0.06]) for the RMNPI, respectively. The subanalysis on the OR mode of action showed a DiffM −0.16 (P < 0.001; 95%CI [−0.22, −0.10]) for the Q&HPI. For the SS mode of action using RMNPI, the DiffM showed −0.10 (P < 0.001; 95%CI [−0.15; −0.05]). The subanalysis for brands showed for the P&G OR PTB using the Q&HPI a DiffM of −0.15 (P < 0.001; 95%CI [−0.22; −0.08]) and the Colgate SS for RMNPI showed a DiffM of −0.15 (P < 0.001; 95%CI [−0.18; −0.12]). Conclusion: There is moderate certainty that the PTB was more effective than the MTB with respect to plaque removal following a single brushing exercise independent of the plaque index scale that was used

Search for a low mass neutral Higgs boson in Z0 decay

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Search for leptoquarks in Z0^{0} decays

We have searched for direct leptoquark production in Z 0 decays from a scan of the Z 0 resonance, in the energy range 88.2 ≤ √s ≤94.2 GeV, using 5.2 pb -1 of data. We exclude the existence of scalar leptoquarks with masses less than 41 to 44 GeV, depending on the charge assignments, at the 95% confidence level

Search for leptoquarks in Z 0 decays

We have searched for direct leptoquark production in Z 0 decays from a scan of the Z 0 resonance, in the energy range 88.2 ≤ √s ≤94.2 GeV, using 5.2 pb -1 of data. We exclude the existence of scalar leptoquarks with masses less than 41 to 44 GeV, depending on the charge assignments, at the 95% confidence level