Effectiveness and Patient Preference of a raffia-type material for interproximal dental hygiene

Background: The use of dental floss in public health programs is an economic problem due to its high cost. The raffia has been proposed an alternative material for interdental hygiene. Objective: Determine the effectiveness and patient preference of raffia used during two months as an alternative material for cleaning interproximal surfaces. Methods: This experimental double-blind study included 96 young individuals in the control group and 105in the experimental group. The study examined the pre- and post-test Quigley-Hein modified dental plaque index, Lõe & Silness gingival index, and the presence of grooves in the interproximal papilla and lip commissures. Data were written down in a soft tissue map-chart. Moreover, the Hannes et al. preference survey was applied. Results: A significant difference was observed between the average initial and final dental plaque indexes and gingival index in individuals who used raffia (p<0.05) and those in the control group who used dental floss (p<0.05). A greater proportion of subjects found raffia prone to tear, harmful for gums,thick, difficult to use in between the teeth, and uncomfortable to use. Conclusion: Raffia was effective in lowering the dental plaque index and gingival index scores. Regarding the users’ preference of using raffia problems related to comfort use were reported...