Weik Ulrike, Sämann Thorben, Eidenhardt Zdenka, Shankar Subramanian Sadhvi, Wöstmann Bernd, Margraf-Stiksrud Jutta, Deinzer Renate
Institute of Medical Psychology, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Giessen, Germany.
Department of Prosthodontics, Dental Clinic, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Giessen, Germany.
PLoS One. 2024 Dec 19;19(12):e0296724. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0296724. eCollection 2024.
Effective toothbrushing is important for maintaining good oral health. Nonetheless, epidemiological data suggest that individuals often encounter challenges in achieving oral cleanliness when brushing their teeth. Various cross-sectional studies have observed brushing behavior of individuals and found some widespread behavioral deficits including neglect of inner surfaces and inconsistent brushing movements. However, longitudinal studies exploring the consistency of these deficits over time are currently lacking. Therefore, this study investigated the intra-individual stability of toothbrushing performance by repeated observation of 105 students during two brushing appointments (T1/T2) two weeks apart. One-half of the participants (n = 52) were instructed to brush to the best of their ability, while the other half were directed to brush as usual (n = 53). Calibrated observers analyzed brushing duration, brushing movements (horizontal, circular, vertical), brushing time on tooth surfaces (outer, inner, occlusal), and distribution of time across sextants. Correlational analyses revealed a high intra-individual stability of all parameters in both groups. Correlation coefficients varied between r = 0.72 (horizontal movements at outer surfaces) and r = 0.93 (total tooth contact time). All correlations were statistically significant (p < 0.001). The results indicated that specific individual toothbrushing patterns were developed by the participants. It is important that preventive measures take into account the challenge of changing such established habits. Healthcare professionals and patients should recognize this challenge when addressing oral hygiene deficiencies.
有效的刷牙对于保持良好的口腔健康至关重要。尽管如此，流行病学数据表明，人们在刷牙时往往难以实现口腔清洁。多项横断面研究观察了个体的刷牙行为，发现了一些普遍存在的行为缺陷，包括对牙齿内表面的忽视和刷牙动作不一致。然而，目前缺乏探索这些缺陷随时间变化的一致性的纵向研究。因此，本研究通过在两周内的两次刷牙预约（T1/T2）期间对105名学生进行重复观察，调查了刷牙表现的个体内稳定性。一半的参与者（n = 52）被要求尽最大能力刷牙，而另一半则被指示像往常一样刷牙（n = 53）。经过校准的观察者分析了刷牙持续时间、刷牙动作（水平、圆周、垂直）、在牙齿表面的刷牙时间（外侧、内侧、咬合面）以及跨牙象限的时间分布。相关性分析显示，两组中所有参数的个体内稳定性都很高。相关系数在r = 0.72（外侧表面的水平动作）和r = 0.93（总牙齿接触时间）之间变化。所有相关性均具有统计学意义（p < 0.001）。结果表明，参与者形成了特定的个人刷牙模式。重要的是，预防措施应考虑到改变这些既定习惯的挑战。医疗保健专业人员和患者在解决口腔卫生缺陷时应认识到这一挑战。
