Abstract
Removal of the biofilm from the proximal space is essential for preventing periodontal disease. This study aimed to prove the association between the use of proximal cleaning devices, such as dental floss and interdental brushes, and periodontal health among nationally representative Korean adults. Data collected from the 7th National Health Nutrition Survey (KNHANES VII: 2016–2018) were used for this purpose. A total of 11,359 participants aged 19 years or older who participated in KNHANES were reviewed. The response variable was the prevalence of high CPI (CPI of 3–4), and the explanatory variables were dental floss and interdental brush. A multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to adjust for potential confounding factors and to analyze the association between periodontal disease and proximal cleaning devices. It was found that 63.1% of the participants did not use proximal cleaning devices at all, 17.5% used dental floss alone, 11.9% used an interdental brush, and 7.5% used both. Subjects who used both dental floss and interdental brush had a high CPI rate nearly half that of all the models for those who did not. In particular, for those using dental floss, the aOR of high CPI was 0.681 in Model 1, 0.714 in Model 2, and 0.737 in Model 3. Dental hygiene products for cleaning the proximal space, such as dental floss, are essential for removing the dental biofilm as a basic tool along with toothbrushes. Teaching and explaining the need to use these devices well are important for oral health care and maintenance.
Highlights
The KNHANES VII was a cross-sectional survey conducted by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KCDA) from 2016 to 2018, targeting civilians over the age of 1
The results of this study showed that the frequency of tooth-brushing, visits to the dentist, and the use of proximal cleaning devices tended to be similar to the prevalence of high CPI, and the frequency of tooth-brushing and the use of interdental brushes have been shown to relieve high CPI, as established by previous studies [19]
This study showed that only 17.5% of subjects used dental floss and 11.9% used interdental brushes, while only 7.5% used both, and 63.1% did not use anything at all
Summary
The most important risk factors for periodontal disease are the composition of the subgingival bacteria. It is a chronic inflammatory plaquerelated disease in which dental support structures are gradually destroyed [2,3]. Maintaining healthy oral hygiene by effectively removing the tooth surface bacterial plaque is the key approach for preventing and controlling periodontal disease [6]. Tooth brushing is the most basic method to prevent gingivitis and periodontal disease. By itself, it removes only 42% of the entire tooth surface bacterial biofilm [7,8]. It is recommended to clean the adjacent areas between teeth where a regular toothbrush cannot effectively reach [11]
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