Comparing the Efficacy of Toothbrushing With and Without Interproximal Cleaning Aids: A Split-Mouth Trial | NCT07725276

NCT07725276

Overview

NCT ID: NCT07725276
Lead Sponsor: Saint-Joseph UniversityOTHER
Official Title: Comparing the Efficacy of Toothbrushing With and Without Interproximal Cleaning Aids Among Dental Students: A Split-Mouth Clinical Trial.
Brief Summary: The goal of this prospective clinical trial is to evaluate whether adding interproximal cleaning aids (interproximal brush, rubber toothpick, water flosser) to regular tooth brushing improves oral hygiene outcomes and gingival health compared with tooth brushing alone in dental students with gingivitis and intact interdental papillae. The main questions it aims to answer are:

Does the addition of interproximal cleaning aids to tooth brushing result in greater reduction of dental plaque accumulation compared with tooth brushing alone?

Does the use of interproximal cleaning aids improve gingival bleeding outcomes compared with tooth brushing alone?

Does the use of interproximal cleaning aids affect interdental papilla health and cause soft tissue trauma or damage?

Do different interproximal cleaning aids influence participants' motivation and adherence to oral hygiene practices?

Researchers will compare tooth brushing alone with tooth brushing combined with three different interproximal cleaning aids (interdental brush, water flosser, and rubber toothpick) to determine whether these adjunctive methods provide additional benefits in plaque control, gingival health, preservation of interdental soft tissues, and participant motivation.

Participants will:

Perform standardized tooth brushing using the modified Bass technique twice daily.

Use the assigned interproximal cleaning aid (interdental brush, water flosser, or rubber toothpick) in designated quadrants according to standardized instructions.

Attend clinical evaluations at baseline and after 7, 14, and 28 days.

Undergo assessment of dental plaque score, gingival bleeding score, interdental papilla condition, and motivation related to oral hygiene practices.

Status and Timeline

Status: Completed
Last Update Posted: Jul 28, 2026Actual
Start Date: Oct 28, 2025Actual
Primary Completion Date: Mar 22, 2026Actual
Completion Date

Participation Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study: Adult (18-64)
Sexes Eligible for Study: All
Accepts Healthy Volunteers?: No
Eligibility Criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

4th & 5th year dental students enrolled at Saint Joseph University of Beirut.

Participants clinically diagnosed with gingivitis exhibiting fully intact interdental papillae.

Participants who had undergone a dental cleaning session 6 weeks before inclusion in the study.

Written informed consent provided and signed before participation.

Exclusion Criteria:

Participants with fixed or removable orthodontic appliances, crowns, dental implants, or dentures.

Participants diagnosed with periodontitis.

Participants with reduced or absent interdental papillae.

Individuals with poor oral hygiene practices, including irregular or inadequate toothbrushing.

Participants currently taking medications known to induce gingival hyperplasia or hypertrophy.

Presence of diastemas or open contacts between adjacent teeth in the areas to be assessed.

Individuals with systemic diseases or medical conditions that may affect gingival or periodontal health.

Study Plan

Study Type: Interventional
Phase: Not Applicable
Enrollment: 29Actual
Primary Purpose: Treatment
Allocation: Randomized
Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
Masking: Single

Contacts and Locations

Central Contacts: No data available
Locations: Faculty of Dentistry

Similar Studies

Participant Group/Arms

Tooth Brushing Alone (Control)Active Comparator

Participants received standardized tooth brushing instructions using the Modified Bass technique twice daily after the last meal. No additional interproximal cleaning aid was used. This arm served as the control group for comparison with adjunctive interproximal cleaning interventions.

Behavioral: Tooth Brushing Alone (Control)

Tooth Brushing + Interproximal Brush (IPB)Experimental

Participants used an interproximal brush as an adjunct to standardized tooth brushing. The interproximal brush was inserted into interdental spaces and moved back and forth five times per site, in addition to twice-daily Modified Bass tooth brushing

Device: Interproximal Brush

Tooth Brushing + Water Flosser (WF)Experimental

Participants used a water flosser as an adjunct to standardized tooth brushing. The device was applied along the gingival margin using the continuous soft mode, in addition to twice-daily Modified Bass tooth brushing.

Device: Water flosser

Tooth Brushing + Rubber Toothpick (RT)Experimental

Participants used a rubber toothpick as an adjunct to standardized tooth brushing. The rubber toothpick was used for interdental cleaning according to the manufacturer's instructions, in addition to twice-daily Modified Bass tooth brushing.

Device: Rubber Toothpick