Effect of brushing the teeth with a fluoride-containing and fluoridefree dentifrice on the gingiva of dogs.

The effect of brushing the teeth with a fluoride-containing or fluoridefree dentifrice on gingivitis induced by a soft diet was studied in four dogs. Changes in the gingival status were recorded at different stages of the experiment by the gingival indexes, which are a reflection of the external appearance, and by the amount of gingival fluid that is influenced by the pocket depth. The two factors appeared to be directly related although the range of the gingival index was much narrower than that of the amount of gingival fluid. No evident retardation in the improvement of the gingival condition occurred after brushing the teeth with a dentifrice that contained fluoride as compared with using a fluoridefree dentifrice or saline.