Long-Term Interdental Cleaning Helps Prevent Tooth Loss
A comprehensive joint study analyzing the link between interdental cleaning devices and tooth loss over five years indicates that longer-term use of interdental tools may help prevent tooth loss, while the effectiveness of different tools also depends on periodontal health.
The joint research by Jichi Medical University in Japan and international oral healthcare company Sunstar examined five years of dental health check-up data from 845 Sunstar employees. While previous short-term clinical trials have demonstrated the effectiveness of interdental cleaning devices in preventing periodontal disease and caries, long-term evidence has been limited.
The study found that individuals with healthy gums (no periodontal pockets) who used dental floss for 4–5 years had a lower risk of tooth loss compared to those with under a year of usage. Similarly, in patients with periodontal disease (presence of periodontal pockets), individuals who had used interdental brushes for 4–5 years experienced a lower risk of tooth loss than those who had used them for less than a year.
Tooth loss is associated with an increased risk of systemic diseases and a decline in quality of life. The research, published in BMC Oral Health, suggests that preventing tooth loss through proper oral care is crucial. Specifically, the study implies that long-term use of interdental cleaning devices—personalized to individual oral conditions—may play a vital role in maintaining oral health.
Analyzing dental health data from 845 Sunstar employees (average age: 47.8) who received annual dental checkups from 2012 to 2017, the research focused on the type and duration of interdental cleaning device use (dental floss or interdental brush, categorized as 0–1 year, 2–3 years, or 4–5 years).
The presence or absence of tooth loss among participants was classified into two groups based on their CPI (Community Periodontal Index) scores from a 2012 checkup: the healthy group, with no periodontal pockets (CPI < 3), and the periodontitis group, with a presence of periodontal pockets (CPI ≥ 3).
The association between interdental cleaning device use and tooth loss was analyzed separately for each group using a logistic regression model, adjusting for age, gender, dental caries experience (DMFT index), smoking status, years of dental visits, and brushing frequency.
Compared to the healthy group (645 people), the periodontitis group (200 people) had fewer women, was older, and had higher DMFT scores and more years of dental visits. Among the healthy group, long-term dental floss users were more common, while the periodontitis group had a higher proportion of long-term interdental brush users.
In the healthy group, participants who used dental floss for 4–5 years had an odds ratio of 0.42 for tooth loss compared to those who used it for less than a year. In the periodontitis group, those who used interdental brushes for 4–5 years had an odds ratio of 0.38 for tooth loss compared to those with under a year of use.
The results indicate a significantly lower risk of tooth loss with long-term use of appropriate interdental cleaning tools and highlight the importance of continuous use of these devices in preventing tooth loss. Dental floss was more effective in the healthy group, while interdental brushes were more effective in those with periodontal disease, demonstrating that choosing the right tool based on an individual’s periodontal condition is crucial.
This longer-term study complements the findings of previous shorter-term studies and provides strong evidence of the importance of interdental cleaning as part of daily oral hygiene routines. Future research by the Department of Community and Family Medicine at Jichi Medical University and Sunstar—using even larger datasets—is expected to help establish more personalized and effective oral care guidance that can be offered as part of routine dental checkups.
Publication Information: The importance of using interdental cleaning devices on prevention of tooth loss in an employee population: a cross-sectional study. Authors: Kyoko Nakao, Miki Ishikawa, Takako Yasuda, Yuji Furui, Kazuhiko Kotani | Journal: BMC Oral Health | DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12903-024-05308-0
About Sunstar
Sunstar is a global company headquartered in Switzerland, marking its 93rd anniversary this year after being founded in 1932 in Osaka, Japan. Sunstar operates across two business lines—Consumer and Industrial—with the purpose of helping people lead healthier, longer lives.
Sunstar’s Consumer business largely operates in the oral care sector through the GUM® brand, offering toothpaste, mouthwash, toothbrushes, and interdental and dental treatments that serve consumers and oral care professionals. For the financial year 2023, consolidated net sales of the Sunstar Group totaled 1,066 million Swiss Francs (CHF). The products and services of Sunstar are distributed in more than 100 countries, and the company has 4,000+ employees worldwide.
For more information, visit www.sunstar.com.
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