Using an electric toothbrush has been shown to improve the oral health of people with gum disease. One study conducted a six month evaluation of dental patients who had periodontitis. Periodontitus is an advance form of gum disease that affect both a person's gums and the bone that lie underneath them. The overall health of the participant's gums improved dramatically with the use of electric toothbrushes. One could make a conclusion that this study demonstrated that the long term use of a good quality electric toothbrush can improve the oral health of a person with gum disease.