Dentist’s preference of brushing technique taught to children with mixed dentition

Abstract

Introduction: The transition period after the eruption of the permanent first molar and incisors and before the remaining deciduous teeth are lost is known as the mixed dentition period. There are various phases of the mixed dentition period. This age is when changes in occlusion take place making it an important time frame. Maintenance of good oral hygiene should be a daily habit adapted by everyone. Suitable brushing techniques are used to maintain good oral health. Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the commonly used brushing technique preferred by dentists in children with mixed dentition (ages 6-12). Materials and Methods: The study was conducted in a University setting. 5,00,000 case sheets were analysed and after application of proper inclusion and exclusion criteria between June 2020 to Feb 2021. Verification of the data was done with the presence of additional reviewers. Records were finally obtained and tabulated using MS Excel. The data was exported to SPSS and further statistical analysis was carried out. The resultant data was displayed as graphs. Results and Discussion: The results of this study show that within the university, 68% of the dentists preferred Fone’s technique of brushing and 25% preferred Modified Bass technique. No difference in the commonly taught brushing technique was noticed between gender of the patient which was not statistically significant (p-value = 0.295). Conclusion: Fones technique of brushing was the most preferred technique within the institution with no difference based on gender of the patient. Maintenance of oral hygiene is of key importance during mixed dentition which requires continuous reinforcement.