Awareness of Interdental Aids and thier Regular Use in Daily Oral Hygeine- A Questionnaire Based Study

Aim: To check the awareness of interdental aids and their use in daily oral hygiene. Objective: To estimate the percentage of patients who are aware of interdental aids and to spread awareness on interdental aids. Background: Bacterial plaque is the principal etiological factor for periodontitis. Toothbrushing is essential for maintaining oral hygiene. However, toothbrushing alone is not sufficient in the interproximal areas. Interdental aids provide auxiliary assistance. Lack of use of these aids may generally lead to interproximal caries and periodontitis. Material and Methods: A questionnaire based study was conducted on 100 randomly selected patients from the out-patient department of Saveetha Dental College. Results: 47% of patients brush their teeth twice a day and 46% change their toothbrush once in three months. 71% of the patients are unaware of interdental aids, but a few still use them in spite of being unaware of the technique. Conclusion: Dentists play a major role in the oral health and hygiene of an individual. Awareness about the aids is still minimal. A very small percentage of the people who are aware of interdental aids, actually use them.