A clinical comparison of the efficacy of an electromechanical flossing device or manual flossing in affecting interproximal gingival bleeding and plaque accumulation.

This one-month clinical trial was designed to compare the effect of an electromechanical flossing device and manual flossing on reducing interproximal gingival bleeding and plaque accumulation in a cohort of 60 healthy adults. After baseline evaluation of interproximal gingival bleeding, soft tissue trauma and plaque, patients were randomly assigned to one of the two experimental groups, given flossing instructions, and had their teeth cleaned. At 30 days all three clinical parameters were again evaluated. The results showed a reduction in GI from baseline to follow-up in each group. This effect is significant (p<0.0001) in the analysis of variance. There was no overall difference in the groups (p=0.93). There was no difference in the reduction in GI from baseline to follow-up between the two groups (p=0.91); interaction). As with the GI, there was a significant reduction in PI from baseline to follow-up in each group (p<0.0001). There was no overall difference between the groups (p=0.24). There was no difference in the reduction in PI from baseline to follow-up between the two groups (p=0.59; interaction). No soft tissue trauma was noted at the baseline examination or at the follow-up examination after 30 days.