title: Behavior and toothbrushing of young Israeli adolescents.
abstract: The purpose of the present study was to assess the toothbrushing behavior of Israeli adolescents attending a pediatric dental clinic, with regard to the maxillary anterior region. One hundred twenty-three adolescents (57 boys, 66 girls, mean age 12.45 +/- 1.76), participated in this study. The amount of plaque extending from the gingival line incisally was measured. Brushing characteristics and daily habits were recorded. In 87 patients, 4 mm or more of plaque were measured on the labial surfaces of the maxillary central incisors, while thirty-six patients demonstrated less than 4 mm plaque. Patients who brushed the maxillary and mandibular incisors separately showed significantly less plaque than patients who brushed them simultaneously. Brushing the maxillary and the mandibular incisors separately was significantly more prevalent in the thirteen-to-seventeen-year-olds, and among girls. Also, significantly more girls brushed twice per day, and for more than three seconds on each incisor.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Hebrew University, Hadassah Faculty of Dental Medicine, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Peretz
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Gluck
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007180:Incisor; D007557:Israel; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible; D008437:Maxilla; D012737:Sex Factors; D014099:Toothbrushing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data