AWARENESS OF THE USE OF DENTAL FLOSS AMONG STUDENTS OF DENTISTS AND MEDICAL INTERNS

Abstract

Abstract. Formulation of the problem. Today, dental care is one of the most popular types of medical care for the population. Commitment to the prevention of dental caries and periodontal tissue diseases plays an important role in the formation of healthy lifestyle habits that prevent dental diseases. This can be prevented with effective plaque control measures that require daily oral hygiene. Dentists must be competent enough to promote good oral health by educating patients on daily oral hygiene practices. Therefore, a study was designed to assess the knowledge and practice attitudes regarding the use and prescribing of dental floss among senior dental students and interns. In addition to brushing and mouthwash, the American Dental Association (ADA) recommends flossing as one of three basic hygiene procedures. Promoting good oral health through patient education, daily oral hygiene practices are vital to achieving optimal performance and preventing dental disease. Future dentists must have sufficient knowledge of its use, correct prescription, and demonstration to the patient. Analysis of recent research and publications. The dental staff is a source of information about oral health for the population and primary health care workers. Such an approach is extremely important in the formation of healthy family habits in the antenatal and infant age of the child in order to prevent dental caries and sanogenic behavior for life, allows to minimize or eliminate behavioral risk factors. The purpose of the study to analyze the awareness of senior dental students and interns regarding the attitude, use and purpose of dental floss for the prevention of dental diseases. Research materials and methods. As part of the study, a questionnaire was developed and prepared to assess awareness of the use of dental floss for the prevention of dental diseases. The questionnaire was distributed to senior dental students and dental interns using an online Google form. Each participant in this study signed an electronic informed consent form. The duration of the study is from January to April 2023. The survey instrument, a questionnaire, consisted of 16 multiple-choice questions to assess knowledge related to knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding dental flossing for dental disease prevention, dental care recommendations, use of fluoridated toothpastes, etc. The reliability and validity of the questions of the questionnaire were checked by preliminary testing by experts of the group who did not participate in the questionnaire. An online Google form was sent to senior students and interns, of whom 154 responded with a completed form. The answers were entered into an Excel table. The results summarized in a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet/google spreadsheet were exported to licensed software for the Windows operating system and the standard Statsoft software package. Inc STATISTICA 6.0 2300 East 14th Street Tulsa, OK 74104 USA. Statistical analysis was carried out using descriptive statistics. Research results and their discussion. The results obtained in this study indicate the need to motivate students and interns for independent oral hygiene, as well as to educate patients about it. Despite flossing by many participants, it was observed that education and guidance to patients regarding flossing was relatively low. This highlights the need to improve awareness and use of assistive devices among dental interns to ensure appropriate oral self-care practices for the patient. Patient education through hands-on demonstration of flossing should be mandatory for dental interns so that they can increase their confidence level in demonstrating this to patients. Only 37 (25%) respondents “always” demonstrated the technique of flossing to patients in our study, which can be explained by the lack of demonstration of the flossing procedure by their teachers at dental universities. The maximum number of dental interns who use dental floss as an interdental cleaning intervals, could encourage them to appoint her. It was found that more than 96% of dental interns recommended flossing to their patients. Simply flossing is not enough; it is also important to demonstrate proper flossing technique, as improper flossing can lead to injury to the periodontal tissues. Conclusions and prospects for further research. The study found that many participants flossed, but the level of education and advice to patients about flossing was relatively low. This highlights the need to increase the awareness and use of interdental aids among senior students and interns to ensure good practice skills for patients that meet the requirements of evidence-based medicine. The results obtained during the research show that the work of medical workers in the dental field is accompanied by a wide range of methods and means of prevention of dental diseases that affect health and require further study for the development of effective preventive measures.