Supervised deplaquing and improved gingival health in a school program.

Following an intensive period of patient education, 205 school children, aged 12 to 16 years, under daily supervision removed stained deposits of plaque from their teeth with dental floss and toothbrushes. After 3 1/2 months there were clinically and statistically significantly reductions in mean plaque and gingivitis scores. In contrast, plaque and gingivitis scores increased significantly for 239 children not deplaquing daily in a nearby control school.