Patients all thumbs cleaning teeth, say dentists

A new survey of dentists reveals that many patients are hampered by the awkwardness of flossing – with many failing to dedicate the time to cleaning between their teeth.

According to a Philips Sonicare AirFloss survey – conducted onsite at the International Dental Show (IDS) 2011 – existing interproximal cleaning methods such as flossing are not encouraging patients to practice good oral hygiene.

Sixty two per cent of dental practitioners who took the survey said that the main barrier to regular flossing and interdental cleaning for patients is that they find it too awkward to do, with 61% of dental practitioners saying that their patients find it too time consuming.

Plus, the majority of dental professionals say that up to half of their patients should be practising interdental cleaning more regularly i.e. up to four times a week.

Over a third of dental practitioners surveyed said that their patients do not really know how to floss properly and fail to understand the importance of interdental cleaning to their overall oral and physical health.

Sonicare AirFloss, with its breakthrough microburst technology, has been specially designed to address this problem by increasing ease of use while maximizing interdental plaque removal and ultimately improving gum health.

During Philips consumer testing, 86% of patients found Sonicare AirFloss easier to use than floss [1] and Sonicare AirFloss is also proven to remove up to 99% more plaque in-between teeth than brushing with a manual toothbrush alone [2].

Dental practitioners who tried Sonicare AirFloss for themselves at the Philips booth at IDS seemed to agree with these results, with 64% saying that they would recommend Sonicare AirFloss to their friends and family and nearly six in ten saying they would recommend it to their patients.

Besides its microburst technology, Sonicare AirFloss has an ergonomic handle and a slim angled nozzle designed for easy access to all areas of the mouth – even the hard-to-reach back teeth.

The point and one-button operation cleans the entire mouth in less than a minute, while using less than one teaspoon of water for two full cleaning sessions.

As of day two at IDS, the survey which is being conducted onsite on an ongoing basis, involved 141 dental professionals. Of these over a third were dental practitioners, one quarter were dental technicians and one in ten were dental hygienists.

Philips Sonicare is the number one recommended sonic toothbrush brand by dental professionals worldwide and is backed by more than 175 clinical trials. 

Reference
1. An Ease of Use Study to Evaluate Philips Sonicare Airfloss, String Floss and the Waterpik Waterflosser (IHUT). S. Krell, A. Kaler, J. Wei.
2. A Randomized, Parallel Design Study to Evaluate the Effect of AirFloss (Chinook) on Removal of Interproximal Plaque and Reduction in Gingivitis. Jain V, Wei J, Jenkins W, Delaurenti M.

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