title: Is self interdental cleaning associated with dental plaque levels, dental calculus, gingivitis and periodontal disease?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To ascertain whether interdental cleaning behaviours of Australian adults were associated with lower levels of plaque, gingivitis and periodontal disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were obtained from the National Survey of Adult Oral Health 2004-06. Outcome variables were three indicators of oral hygiene outcomes (the presence or not of dental plaque, dental calculus and gingivitis) and two of periodontal disease (the presence or not of at least one tooth with a periodontal pocket or clinical attachment loss of ≥ 4 mm). The independent variable was classified into the following three groups: regularly clean interproximally 'at least daily' (daily+); 'less than daily' (< daily); and 'do not regularly clean interproximally' (reference group). Poisson regression with robust variance estimation was used to calculate prevalence ratios (PRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) relative to the reference group, adjusted for covariates.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Regular self interdental cleaning was associated with less dental plaque (< daily, PR = 0.89, 95% CI = 0.84, 0.95; and daily+, PR = 0.89, 95% CI = 0.82, 0.96), less dental calculus (< daily, PR = 0.88, 95% CI = 0.80, 0.97; and daily+, PR = 0.79, 95% CI = 0.70, 0.89) and lower levels of moderate/severe gingivitis (daily+, PR = 0.85, 95% CI = 0.77, 0.94). Periodontal pocketing was less likely for the < daily group (PR = 0.61, 95% CI = 0.46, 0.82), but was not associated with daily+ cleaning (PR = 0.99, 95% CI = 0.663, 1.49). There was not a significant association between interdental cleaning and clinical attachment loss (< daily, PR = 0.90, 95% CI = 0.77, 1.05; and daily+, PR = 1.17, 95% CI = 0.95, 1.44).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Regular interdental cleaning was associated with better oral hygiene outcomes, such as dental plaque and gingivitis, although there was no significant association between regular interdental cleaning and clinical attachment loss.
authors.affiliation: Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health, School of Dentistry, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia. leonard.crocombe@adelaide.edu.au
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Crocombe
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Brennan
authors.forename: G D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Slade
authors.forename: D O
authors.initials: DO
authors.lastname: Loc
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D002638:Chewing Gum; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003728:Dental Calculus / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003729:Dental Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003742:Dental Devices, Home Care / Q000145:classification / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D005891:Gingivitis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009067:Mouthwashes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009790:Occupations / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017622:Periodontal Attachment Loss / Q000453:epidemiology; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010514:Periodontal Pocket / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D014099:Toothbrushing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014504:Urban Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D002638:Chewing Gum; D009067:Mouthwashes