title: The efficacy of woodsticks on plaque and gingival inflammation: a systematic review.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To review the literature on whether a hand-held triangular woodstick, as compared with no adjunct or other interdental cleaning device in addition to daily toothbrushing, can improve clinical parameters of gingival inflammation.
  
  
  METHODS
  MEDLINE and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) were searched through February 2008 to identify appropriate studies. Plaque and gingivitis were selected as outcome variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Independent screening of the titles and abstracts of 181 MEDLINE and 65 CENTRAL papers yielded seven publications with eight clinical experiments that met the eligibility criteria. The improvement in gingival health, as observed in seven studies, represents a significant incremental benefit realized by the use of triangular woodsticks. None of the studies that scored plaque demonstrated any significant advantage to the use of woodsticks, as opposed to alternative methods, in gingivitis patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Evidence from controlled trials, most of which were also randomized, shows that woodsticks do not have an additional effect on visible interdental plaque or gingival index, but do, however, provide an improvement in interdental gingival inflammation by reducing the bleeding tendency.
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, Academic Centre of Dentistry Amsterdam, Louwesweg 1, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. N.Hoenderdos@acta.nl
authors.forename: N L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Hoenderdos
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Slot
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Paraskevas
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Van der Weijden
mesh_terms: D003742:Dental Devices, Home Care / Q000145:classification*; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003774:Dental Plaque Index; D005884:Gingival Hemorrhage / Q000517:prevention & control; D005891:Gingivitis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D010512:Periodontal Index; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012107:Research Design