Oral hygiene for the partially edentulous.

THE EFFECTIVENESS of a proximal brush on the interdental hygiene for partially edentulous individuals was investigated. Nineteen partially edentulous adults participated in a crossover study. Three groups were instructed to use the toothbrush alone or a toothbrush combined with either toothpicks or proximal brush. The effectiveness of the cleansing devices was measured by the amount of plaque remaining on the examined surfaces. The results indicated that the cleaning efficiency of the proximal brush is greater than that of the toothpicks on the proximal surfaces of teeth adjacent to edentulous areas. On the other hand, the toothpicks were more effective on the proximal surfaces of teeth in contact.