ABSTRACT
Aim: To evaluate the knowledge and practice of inter-dental aids among Students of Jazan university. Background: Information about the oral health knowledge and behavior among Saudi students is inadequate. This makes it important to have an understanding of interdental cleaning practices employed by college students.
Methodology: Questionnaire based study was conducted to know the knowledge and practice about inter-dental cleaning aids among university of Benin dental Students. 90 students participated in the study. Respondents had same demographic data. Recorded data was analyzed in SPSS. The significance was taken for P-value ≤ 0.05.
Results: Thirty-two (86.5% of the 37 respondents who had used interdental cleaning aid had used a dental floss. Ten (31.3%) of the 32 who had used dental floss believed it separates their teeth and makes spaces. Seventeen of the respondents who had used dental cleaning aids started using one after a dentist's advice. 59.5% of the respondents thought they cleaned their teeth
regularly, 29.7% thought that cleaning is time consuming, 45.9% of the respondents thought that cleaning aid has harmful effects of soft tissues. Twelve (32.4% of respondents who had used a
cleansing aid used it daily, 13.5% used it before breakfast and 16 (43.3%) used it for about 2-3 minutes while 8 (21.6%) used it for over 5 minutes.
Conclusion: The study concluded that there was lack of knowledge of interdental cleaning and negligible inappropriate practice. This data can serve as a guide to implement mass educative programs providing information regarding interdental cleaning.
