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Open Access

Habits, Practices and Beliefs Regarding Floss and Mouthrinse among Habitual and Non-Habitual Users

Katie Rotella, Mary Lynn Bosma, James A. McGuire, Anusha Sunkara, Alicia DelSasso, Megan Gaff, Kimberly Milleman and Jeffery Milleman
American Dental Hygienists' Association June 2022, 96 (3) 46-58;
Katie Rotella
1Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc., 199 Grandview Road, Skillman, New Jersey 08558 USA
Roles: Principal Biostatistician, Global Biostatistics
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Mary Lynn Bosma
1Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc., 199 Grandview Road, Skillman, New Jersey 08558 USA
Roles: Director of Claims Strategy
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  • For correspondence: mbosma@its.jnj.com
James A. McGuire
1Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc., 199 Grandview Road, Skillman, New Jersey 08558 USA
Roles: Director of Global Biostatistics
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Anusha Sunkara
1Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc., 199 Grandview Road, Skillman, New Jersey 08558 USA
Roles: Principal Biostatistician, Global Biostatistics
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Alicia DelSasso
1Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc., 199 Grandview Road, Skillman, New Jersey 08558 USA
Roles: Associate Manager, Clinical Science Management
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Megan Gaff
2Salus Research, Inc., 1220 Medical Park Drive, Building 4, Fort Wayne, Indiana 46825 USA
Roles: Examiner and Clinical Coordinator
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Kimberly Milleman
2Salus Research, Inc., 1220 Medical Park Drive, Building 4, Fort Wayne, Indiana 46825 USA
Roles: Director and Compliance Specialist
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Jeffery Milleman
2Salus Research, Inc., 1220 Medical Park Drive, Building 4, Fort Wayne, Indiana 46825 USA
Roles: Director of Clinical Operations and Principal Investigator
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Abstract

Purpose:The purpose of this survey was to investigate how flossing and rinsing behaviors impact individual beliefs about oral disease risk, the efficacy of floss and mouthrinse, and the perceived benefits and barriers of floss and mouthrinse.

Methods:Participants in this required component of a 12-week plaque and gingivitis randomized clinical trial on flossing and rinsing regimens completed a paper questionnaire prior to randomization and baseline/screening measurements.

Results:All of the clinical trial participants (n=213) completed the questionnaire. Respondents were grouped as habitual or non-habitual users of floss or mouthrinse if the product was used at least once daily; 16% (n=34) were habitual users of floss and 17% (n=36) were habitual users of mouthrinse. Perceived barriers included fear of gingival bleeding and pain, forgetting, and not including flossing or rinsing as part of the daily oral care routine. Non-habitual users were less likely to believe in the intangible benefits of flossing or rinsing and much more likely to perceive barriers to using floss or mouthrinse. Risk perception of developing oral disease was not shown to predict product usage. Respondents viewed their risk of developing gingivitis as relatively low despite this diagnosis being confirmed clinically among the participants.

Conclusions:While respondents strongly believed that brushing, flossing, and mouthrinse use carry unique benefits and that combining all three methods would be optimal, these respondents still had high perceived barriers to using floss and mouthrinse regularly and consequently these habits were not included in their daily oral hygiene regimen. Understanding the perceptions regarding oral health behaviors may help drive more effective interventions and assist practitioners in improving their patients’ oral health outcomes.

  • dental floss
  • mouthrinse
  • oral hygiene habits
  • health behaviors
  • gingivitis
  • Received February 28, 2022.
  • Accepted May 12, 2022.
  • Copyright © 2022 The American Dental Hygienists’ Association

This article is open access and may not be copied, distributed, or modified without written permission from the American Dental Hygienists’ Association.

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American Dental Hygienists' Association: 96 (3)
American Dental Hygienists' Association
Vol. 96, Issue 3
June 2022
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Habits, Practices and Beliefs Regarding Floss and Mouthrinse among Habitual and Non-Habitual Users
Katie Rotella, Mary Lynn Bosma, James A. McGuire, Anusha Sunkara, Alicia DelSasso, Megan Gaff, Kimberly Milleman, Jeffery Milleman
American Dental Hygienists' Association Jun 2022, 96 (3) 46-58;

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Habits, Practices and Beliefs Regarding Floss and Mouthrinse among Habitual and Non-Habitual Users
Katie Rotella, Mary Lynn Bosma, James A. McGuire, Anusha Sunkara, Alicia DelSasso, Megan Gaff, Kimberly Milleman, Jeffery Milleman
American Dental Hygienists' Association Jun 2022, 96 (3) 46-58;
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Keywords

  • dental floss
  • mouthrinse
  • oral hygiene habits
  • health behaviors
  • gingivitis

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