British Columbia Dental Hygienists' Association

The study's purpose is to find an easy and effective alternative to dental floss for those persons who cannot or choose not to dental floss so that they can maintain and/or achieve optimal oral health. The study hypothesis is that the inter-dental brush is as effective as dental floss for removing plaque from between the teeth and for reducing bleeding gums in persons with gingivitis, but may be easier to use and thus encourage daily home use.

To determine if flossing with a dental floss presoaked in chlorhexidine, an anti-microbial mouth wash, would improve the clinical signs of gingivitis, an inflammation of the gums characterized by red, swollen, bleeding gums. And to determine if applying chlorhexidine via dental floss would result in tooth staining, which is common with chlorhexidine mouthwashes.