Table 1.

Description of clinical diagnostic criteria for plaque and bleeding indices.

Plaque index	0 = no plaque at the gingival margin.
	1 = a film of plaque adhering to the free gingival margin and adjacent area of the tooth. The plaque may only be recognized by running a probe across the tooth surface.
	2 = moderate accumulation of soft deposits within the gingival sulcus, on the gingival margin, and/or adjacent tooth surface, which can be seen by the naked eye.
	3 = abundance of soft matter within the gingival sulcus and/or at the gingival margin and adjacent tooth surface.
Bleeding index	0 = normal appearance of healthy gingiva.
	1 = color changes related to inflammation but no bleeding.
	2 = slight bleeding that remains at the point of sampling.
	3 = bleeding extending from the point of sampling and flowing around the gingival margin.
	4 = profuse bleeding that overflows the gingival margin.
	5 = spontaneous bleeding.