An oral hygiene measurement system for possible research and clinical use.

A new hygiene index has been developed that it is felt better meets the requirements for individual patient analysis than other indices. Examiner subjectivity is reduced by scoring tooth surfaces as clean (0) or dirty (1), determining a percentage of "dirty" surfaces which then becomes the Hygiene Analysis Index. Tested on a group of dental students it appears to discriminate adequately between the various levels of mouth hygiene.