Introduction of a method of promoting periodontal disease awareness.

In periodontal diseases, due to lack of subjective symptoms, disease awareness and professional consultations are often dismissed even by subjects with already established periodontal lesions. The purpose of this study was to gain data concerning the relationship between bleeding induced by interdental stimulating and some of the clinical indices used in routine periodontal examinations in order to consider if wooden interdental cleaners, which are available to patients themselves, could be used as a means of arousing disease awareness. Furthermore, the buccolingual insertion of interdental cleaners was confirmed together with reconsiderations on its role as a means of proximal plaque control. 180 interdental sites of 30 new out-patients suspected of gingivitis or periodontitis consisted the material. As comparative indices to interdental stimulating, Bleeding on Probing (BOP), Probing Depth (PD), Gingival Index (GI) and Gingival Crevicular Fluid (GCF) measurement were selected. The interdental cleaning efficiency was reconsidered by assessment of interproximal plaque removal. As a result, bleeding was induced both by interdental stimulating and probing in 106 of the 180 experimental sites and was the majority. In relation to PD, concerning pockets less than 1.5 mm, bleeding was not induced by interdental stimulating. 58.8% of 3 mm pockets and all of the pockets deeper than 5 mm bled on interdental stimulating. Concerning the relationship with the GI, no site evaluated GI. 0 bled on interdental stimulating. 12.9% of sites evaluates GI. 1, 73.3% of sites evaluated GI. 2, and all of the sites evaluated GI. 3 bled on interdental stimulating. 39.0% of sites with GCF measurement of 0-21, 51.9% of sites with GCF measurement of 21-40 and 96.8% of sites with GCF measurement of over 81 showed bleeding on interdental stimulating.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)