This study, conducted in Germany, is investigating toothbrush use, dental cleaning habits, and purchase criteria in a group of dental professionals and a group of laypersons. The results are based on the answers of a questionnaire.

 

In the dental professional group, 93% indicated use of manual toothbrushes, while the corresponding figure in the layperson group was 89%. Soft bristles were more common in the dental professional group, but overall, medium bristles dominated in both groups. Concerning bristle profile, none of the groups had a clear opinion. The dental professionals more often preferred a shorter brush head than the other group.

 

The use of powered toothbrushes was 57% among the dental professionals and 37% in the layperson group. In the group of dental professionals, the duration of tooth cleaning was longer, and the use of interdental cleaning devices, floss, and interdental brushes, were statistically more frequent. In the layperson group, 38% used floss and only 5% used interdental brushes. Both groups preferred to purchase their oral hygiene devices at supermarkets and drugstores.

 

The authors conclude that there is a difference between dental professionals and laypersons within the investigated field. Tools for interdental cleaning were used to a small extent by the laypersons, a fact that prompts the authors to stress the importance of focusing on interdental cleaning when instructing and motivating in the field of oral home care.