COMPARATIVE EFFECTIVENESS OF DENTAL FLOSS AND INTERDENTAL BRUSHES ON PLAQUE CONTROL IN PATIENTS WITH REDUCED PERIODONTIUM: A CLINICAL EVALUATION USING PLAQUE INDEX

To compare the effectiveness of dental floss and interdental brushes in reducing plaque index among patients with reduced periodontium. Methods: A randomized clinical trial was conducted at the Department of Periodontology, Sardar Begum Dental College, Peshawar, from September 2024 to Oct 2024. Sixty-seven patients with reduced periodontium were randomly allocated into two groups: floss (n = 33) and interdental brush (n = 34). Baseline plaque index was recorded using the Silness and Löe Plaque Index. Participants were instructed to use their allocated interdental aid once daily in addition to tooth brushing for one month. Plaque index was reassessed at follow-up. Data were analyzed using paired and independent t-tests with p < 0.05 considered significant. Results: Both groups demonstrated improvement, but the mean plaque index reduction was greater in the interdental brush group (0.75 ± 0.14) compared with the floss group (0.38 ± 0.12). The difference was statistically significant (p = 0.001). Moreover, a higher proportion of interdental brush users achieved a clinically meaningful reduction (73.5% vs. 33.3%; p = 0.002). Conclusion: Interdental brushes were significantly more effective than dental floss in reducing plaque accumulation in patients with reduced periodontium. They should be recommended as the preferred interdental cleaning aid in such cases.