Dental Biofilms: Detection and Quantification of Plaque

Dental Biofilms: Detection and Quantification of Plaque

Student Version (go to Instructor Version)

Supplies Needed:

Quantity
Description
1 dental plaque disclosing agent such as Trace Disclosing Tablets
1 Quigley Hein plaque index (given below)

Instructions:

Chew a Trace Disclosing Tablet

Estimating the amount of plaque

This index evaluates the plaque revealed on the cheek (buccal) side and the tongue (lingual) side of the teeth on a scale from 0 - 5 where:

The Quigley Hein plaque index

0 = no plaque
1 = isolated flecks of plaque near the gingival (gum) margin
2 = a 1 mm band of plaque at the gingival margin
3 = up to 1/3 of the surface covered with plaque
4 = disclosed plaque from 1/3 to 2/3 of the surface
5 = disclosed plaque on more than 2/3 of the surface

Illustration:

Figure 1. Dental Disclosing Tablets

Permissions
  1. D. Williams, Center for Biofilm Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman

After chewing a Trace Disclosing Tablet, plaque on teeth can be easily seen.

Figure 2. Teeth showing plaque stained by tablet.

Permissions
  1. D. Williams, Center for Biofilm Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman

Educational Program Curricula and Teaching Resources

Supported in part by the Waksman Foundation for Microbiology
Developed in collaboration with Dr. John Lennox, Education Editor, Penn State Altoona
© 1999-2008 Center for Biofilm Engineering, http://www.biofilm.montana.edu