title: Factors associated with Japanese dentists encouraging patients to use dental floss.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to clarify to what extent Japanese dentists recommend dental floss and what factors influence dentists in encouraging their patients to use dental floss.
  
  
  METHODS
  The subjects in this study were 291 dentists who were directors of dental clinics, selected by stratified sampling by age.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Dentists whose teachers at dental school had demonstrated dental flossing tended to recommend patients to use dental floss 2.2 (1.0-4.6: 95% CI) times more frequently compared with those who did not see demonstrations of flossing at dental school. Respondents who considered that using dental floss was very easy and easy, moderate, and difficult recommended patients to use dental floss 45.4 (11.2-183.9), 17.4 (6.6-45.8) and 5.9 (2.5-14.1) times more frequently, respectively, compared with those who considered it very difficult. Respondents who considered that using dental floss was effective, fairly effective or very effective in preventing dental caries recommended patients to use dental floss 3.8 (1.7-8.6), 3.8 (1.7-8.8) and 9.1 (3.6-23.0) times more frequently respectively, compared with those who considered it ineffective or only slightly effective.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The demonstration of the use of dental floss by teachers at their dental schools gave dentists a good impression and a positive opinion of dental flossing. This was closely associated with recommendations by dentists to their patients to use dental floss.
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Dentistry and Dental Public Health, School of Dentistry, Aichi-Gakuin University, Nagoya, Japan. fumihiko@dpc.aichi-gakuin.ac.jp
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hirayama
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Morita
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakagaki
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003742:Dental Devices, Home Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003756:Dental Hygienists / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003815:Dentists / Q000523:psychology*; D004497:Education, Dental / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009910:Oral Hygiene / Q000193:education* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019239:Practice Patterns, Dentists' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires