Importance of Interdental Cleaning Aids for Gingival Health of Patients with Fixed Dental Prosthesis

Objective: To evaluate the association between frequency of interdental cleaning and plaque and gingival indices among patients following fixed dental prosthesis placement. Study design: Prospective analytical study Place and Duration of Study: Armed Forces Institute of Dentistry (AFID) Rawalpindi, Pakistan, from Jun 2024 to Sep 2024. Methodology: 268 patients aged 18 years and older with recently installed fixed dental prostheses were evaluated at 15 days, 1.5 months, and 3 months. Silness and Löe criteria were used to record plaque and gingival indices. Patient interview was used to evaluate interdental cleaning habits. Frequency of interdental cleaning and oral hygiene indices were correlated using SPSS version 23. Results: Interdental cleaning was performed by 74.63% of the sample group at 15 days, 85.82% at 1.5 months, and 97.76% at 3 months from the day of placement of fixed dental prosthesis. The percentage of patients not doing any interdental cleaning considerably reduced with the passage of time, 25.4% at 15 days, 14.2% at 1.5 months, and just 2.2% at 3 months. The frequency of interdental cleaning was statistically associated with plaque index (PI) and gingival index (GI) at 15 days (PI: p < 0.001; GI: p = 0.006), 1.5 months (PI and GI: p < 0.001), and 3 months (PI: p = 0.004; GI: p < 0.001). Conclusion: Interdental cleaning reduced the plaque and gingival index in interproximal areas with fixed dental prosthesis. Instructions for oral hygiene show improvement of oral health among the patients.