EC Dental Science

Introduction: Effective oral hygiene is crucial for maintaining good oral health, impacting overall health and quality of life. Dental plaque accumulation is a primary factor for periodontal disease, characterized by an inflammatory response in gingival tissue. While brushing is the most practiced method, it is less effective for interproximal surfaces, necessitating additional interdental aids like dental floss and interdental brushes. Dental students, as future oral health professionals, are an ideal study population for assessing these methods.

Methodology: A parallel group randomized control trial was conducted among 45 dental students in North Bangalore over three months. Participants were randomly assigned to three groups: Group 1 (dental floss and manual brushing), group 2 (color-coded interdental brushes and manual brushing), and group 3 (manual brushing only, control group). Ethical clearance and informed consent were obtained. Interventions lasted five weeks, with oral prophylaxis provided before the interventions. Measurements were taken at baseline, 14 days, and 28 days using full mouth plaque score (FMPS), full mouth bleeding score (FMBS), and papillary bleeding index (PBI).

Results: The study included 45 participants, with no significant age or gender differences among groups. Significant differences in FMBS were observed at 14 and 28 days, with group 2 showing the lowest scores. PBI scores were significantly lower in group 2 at 14 and 28 days. Interdental brushes were more effective than dental floss and manual brushing alone in reducing interdental plaque and bleeding scores.

Conclusion: Interdental brushes, selected based on each patient’s specific interdental spaces using a colorimetric probe and combined with manual tooth brushing, were more effective in reducing interdental plaque and bleeding compared to dental floss or manual brushing alone. These findings underscore the importance of integrating interdental aids into daily oral hygiene routines for optimal oral health.

 Keywords: Interdental Brushes; Dental Floss; Dental Students; Colorimetric Probe; FMBS; FMPS; Papillary Bleeding Index

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