An interventional study of Bristled tongue brush and Plastic tongue scraper in Tongue Coating, Oral Biofilm and Oral Hygiene, sponsored by Istanbul Kent University. Completed at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye). Open to participants aged 18 Years to 30 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-08-17.
Sponsored by Istanbul Kent University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Prevention
This randomised three-period crossover study compared the effectiveness of three tongue-cleaning devices - a bristled tongue brush, a plastic tongue scraper and a metal tongue scraper - in removing tongue biofilm. Thirty healthy volunteers aged 18 to 30 used each device once daily for 14 consecutive days, with 7-day washout periods between devices during which no tongue cleaning was performed. Tongue biofilm was measured objectively by Quantitative Light-induced Fluorescence-Digital (QLF-D) imaging, alongside the visual Tongue Coating Index, salivary pH, and participant-reported acceptability including gag reflex.
352 studies on the registry are indexed under Dental Plaque; 60 are open to participants now.
This study's enrollment of 30 is below the median of 56 across 316 interventional studies indexed under Dental Plaque.
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Device: Bristled tongue brush R.O.C.S. Pro Lingua (Moscow, Russia). Over-the-counter tongue brush with a bristled cleaning surface, used once daily on the tongue dorsum for 14 consecutive days. Device: Plastic tongue scraper Pearldent (DentaRAM, Istanbul, Türkiye). Same regimen. Device: Metal tongue scraper Glimo (Haltron, Istanbul, Türkiye). Same regimen. All devices: single-directional sweeping motion from the posterior vallate papillae to the anterior tip of the tongue dorsum, using gentle self-regulated pressure sufficient to alter tissue curvature without causing mucosal discomfort.
Device: Bristled tongue brush · Device: Plastic tongue scraper · Device: Metal tongue scraper
Device: Bristled tongue brush R.O.C.S. Pro Lingua (Moscow, Russia). Over-the-counter tongue brush with a bristled cleaning surface, used once daily on the tongue dorsum for 14 consecutive days. Device: Plastic tongue scraper Pearldent (DentaRAM, Istanbul, Türkiye). Same regimen. Device: Metal tongue scraper Glimo (Haltron, Istanbul, Türkiye). Same regimen. All devices: single-directional sweeping motion from the posterior vallate papillae to the anterior tip of the tongue dorsum, using gentle self-regulated pressure sufficient to alter tissue curvature without causing mucosal discomfort.
Device: Bristled tongue brush · Device: Plastic tongue scraper · Device: Metal tongue scraper
Device: Bristled tongue brush R.O.C.S. Pro Lingua (Moscow, Russia). Over-the-counter tongue brush with a bristled cleaning surface, used once daily on the tongue dorsum for 14 consecutive days. Device: Plastic tongue scraper Pearldent (DentaRAM, Istanbul, Türkiye). Same regimen. Device: Metal tongue scraper Glimo (Haltron, Istanbul, Türkiye). Same regimen. All devices: single-directional sweeping motion from the posterior vallate papillae to the anterior tip of the tongue dorsum, using gentle self-regulated pressure sufficient to alter tissue curvature without causing mucosal discomfort.
Device: Bristled tongue brush · Device: Plastic tongue scraper · Device: Metal tongue scraper
Over-the-counter tongue brush with a bristled cleaning surface (R.O.C.S. Pro Lingua, Moscow, Russia). Participants used the device once daily for 14 consecutive days, performing a single-directional sweeping motion from the posterior vallate papillae to the anterior tip of the tongue dorsum, using gentle self-regulated pressure sufficient to alter tissue curvature without causing mucosal discomfort.
Over-the-counter smooth plastic tongue scraper (Pearldent, DentaRAM, Istanbul, Türkiye). Participants used the device once daily for 14 consecutive days, performing a single-directional sweeping motion from the posterior vallate papillae to the anterior tip of the tongue dorsum, using gentle self-regulated pressure sufficient to alter tissue curvature without causing mucosal discomfort.
Over-the-counter rigid metal tongue scraper (Glimo, Haltron, Istanbul, Türkiye). Participants used the device once daily for 14 consecutive days, performing a single-directional sweeping motion from the posterior vallate papillae to the anterior tip of the tongue dorsum, using gentle self-regulated pressure sufficient to alter tissue curvature without causing mucosal discomfort.
Change From Baseline in Maximum Fluorescence Loss (Delta F Max) of Tongue Dorsum Biofilm Assessed by Quantitative Light-Induced Fluorescence-Digital (QLF-D) Imaging
Time frame: Baseline (Day 1), Day 7 and Day 14 of each 14-day intervention period
Change From Baseline in Average Fluorescence Loss (Delta F Average)
Time frame: Baseline (Day 1), Day 7 and Day 14 of each period
Change From Baseline in Total Fluorescence Loss (Delta Q)
Time frame: Baseline (Day 1), Day 7 and Day 14 of each period
Change From Baseline in White Spot Area
Time frame: Baseline (Day 1), Day 7 and Day 14 of each period
Change From Baseline in White Spot Delta R
Time frame: Baseline (Day 1), Day 7 and Day 14 of each period
Change From Baseline in Tongue Coating Index (TCI)
The tongue dorsum is divided into nine regions (three posterior, three middle, three anterior). Each region is scored for coating thickness (0 = no coating, 1. = thin, 2 = thick) and for discolouration (0 = none, 1 = white, 2. = yellow/light brown, 3 = brown), following Shimizu et al. Higher scores indicate a greater quantity of tongue coating.
Time frame: Baseline (Day 1), Day 7 and Day 14 of each period
Change From Baseline in Unstimulated Salivary pH
Unstimulated whole saliva collected with participants seated after refraining from eating and drinking for at least 60 minutes. Measured immediately with MQuant pH indicator strips (Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany); the median of two readings was recorded.
Time frame: Baseline (Day 1), Day 7 and Day 14 of each period
Participant-Reported Device Acceptability
Time frame: End of study (Day 14 of the third period)
Participant-Reported Gag Reflex Severity
Time frame: End of study (Day 14 of the third period)
Plan to share: Yes — Deidentified individual participant data underlying the published results (QLF-D parameters, Tongue Coating Index scores, salivary pH values and questionnaire responses) will be made available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
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This study is completed, as verified in Aug 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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Istanbul Kent University