Patients were provided with their assigned product and the same soft-bristled toothbrush for unsupervised brushing for 12 weeks. Patients were instructed to brush their teeth twice a day (in the morning and in the evening) for 1 minute, using enough toothpaste to cover the entire brush, and to refrain from any other oral hygiene procedures throughout the duration of the study. There were no restrictions regarding diet or smoking habits during the course of the study. Patients were requested to return to the clinic after 6 weeks and 12 weeks for follow-ups, having refrained from all oral hygiene procedures for at least 12 hours before, and from eating, drinking and smoking for 4 hours before, the scheduled visit.