Frequency of Use of Dental Floss and Interdental Brushes among Japanese Adults of Different Ages

Abstract

 Purpose: Interdental cleaning is an important aspect of oral self-care. Using the results from our previous survey on erosive tooth wear, the aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency of use of dental floss and interdental brushes among Japanese adults of varying ages.

 Methods: The study sample comprised 969 subjects aged 15 to 89 years residing in Tokyo, Japan. To evaluate the prevalence of erosive tooth wear, all subjects were asked to complete a self-administered questionnaire that asked about daily dietary intake, general health and oral hygiene, including the frequency of dental flossing and interdental brush usage. The factors that encouraged subjects to commence interdental self-care were also asked. The results were analyzed using the Pearson chi-square test with Bonferroni correction to determine the differences in the frequency (almost daily, sometimes, none) of use of dental floss and interdental brushes among different age groups.

 Results: For all age groups, the frequency of use of dental floss (almost daily) was 30%, while that of interdental brushes was 28%. The frequency of use of dental floss (almost daily) of the 60-69 age group was significant higher than that of the young age group (15-39 years) (p<0.05). The frequency of use of interdental brushes (almost daily) of the 50-89 age group was significantly higher than that of the 15-49 age group (p<0.05). Except for the 30-39 age group, the main factor that encouraged subjects to commence interdental care was clinical recommendation received from dentists and dental hygienists.

 Conclusion: The frequency of use of dental floss and interdental brushes depended on the respondent’s age. The main factor that encouraged respondents to commence interdental self-care was clinical recommendation received from dentists and dental hygienists.