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Table 1 Baseline measurements for tongue coating and dental plaque samples

From: Effects of tongue cleaning on bacterial flora in tongue coating and dental plaque: a crossover study

 

Tongue cleaning

Average ± SD

p-value*

WTCI

(+)

5.53 ± 4.53

0.651

(-)

5.90 ± 3.59

 

Total

5.72 ± 4.06

 

Wet weight of tongue coating (mg)

(+)

15.4 ± 10.1

0.125

(-)

12.0 ± 8.06

 

Total

13.6 ± 9.20

 

Wet weight of dental plaque (mg)

(+)

2.75 ± 7.83

0.375

(-)

1.31 ± 1.42

 

Total

2.03 ± 5.63

 

Amount of total bacteria in whole tongue coating sample (log pg)

(+)

4.76 ± 1.18

0.296

(-)

4.52 ± 1.15

 

Total

4.64 ± 1.16

 

Amount of total bacteria in whole dental plaque sample (log pg)

(+)

4.47 ± 0.79

0.986

(-)

4.47 ± 1.10

 

Total

4.46 ± 0.95

 

Amount of F. nucleatum in whole tongue coating sample (log pg)

(+)

2.19 ± 1.18

0.199

(-)

1.94 ± 1.27

 

Total

2.07 ± 1.22

 

Amount of F. nucleatum in whole dental plaque sample (log pg)

(+)

2.07 ± 1.00

0.664

(-)

1.98 ± 1.23

 

Total

2.02 ± 1.11

 

Amount of total bacteria in 1 mg of tongue coating (log pg/mg)

(+)

3.68 ± 1.02

0.536

(-)

3.56 ± 0.96

 

Total

3.62 ± 0.98

 

Amount of total bacteria in 1 mg of dental plaque (log pg/mg)

(+)

4.51 ± 0.61

0.361

(-)

4.44 ± 0.83

 

Total

4.48 ± 0.72

 

Amount of F. nucleatum in tongue coating sample (log pg/mg)

(+)

1.26 ± 0.93

0.668

(-)

1.13 ± 0.99

 

Total

1.20 ± 0.96

 

Amount of F. nucleatum in dental plaque sample (log pg/mg)

(+)

2.09 ± 0.97

0.343

(-)

1.90 ± 1.06

 

Total

2.00 ± 1.01

 
  1. *Statistical comparisons between subjects with and without tongue cleaning were performed using a paired t test for WTCI and bacterial amounts. Comparisons of wet weights of samples were performed using a Wilcoxon test, as they were not normally distributed.