DENTAL FLOSS

CONCEPT AND USE AMONG THE UNDERGRADUATE DENTAL STUDENTS

Abstract

Objectives: To assist the concept and use of dental floss among
undergraduate dental students of Liaquat University of Medical & Health sciences,
Jamshoro. Study Design: Cross-sectional, descriptive case series study. Setting:
Institute of Dentistry, Liaquat University of Medical Health, Jamshoro, Pakistan.
Period: June 2015 to December 2015. Methodology: In this study 192 students
of BDS Department, Institute of Dentistry, Liaquat University of Medical & Health
Science, Jamshoro were selected. Questions related to assess the knowledge 87.14%
students knew what dental floss was. Results: 74.29% students knew that dental
floss remove plaque from interdental areas, whereas 25.71% replied don’t know.
48.57% of the students thought that dental floss should be customarily used along
with tooth brushing every day, 24.29% of the students thought that dental floss harms
the interdental gingiva, whereas majority 40% said that it would not harm the gingiva,
35.71% replied don’t know. only 18.57% respondent thought that toothbrushes with
advanced bristles designs would remove interdental plaque similar to dental floss,
whereas majority (60%) of the respondent had no any idea about the effectiveness of
two cleaning methods, practice of using dental floss 18.57% of students use interdental
aids commonly floss and while 81.43% did not use dental floss. 27.14% of the study
subjects use some other interdental aids like tooth picks to clean interdental areas,
whereas 72.86% did not follow any other interdental cleaning practice. Conclusion:
This study has focused light on the knowledge and practice of interdental aid, so
further studies are needed. Finally, it could be concluded that awareness regarding
dental floss needs to be bolstered in the population as preventive oral health care
behavior.