Effect of manual tooth brushing on periodontal health status between right and left handed dental students : ( inter and intra groups comparative study)‎

الملخص EN

Background: Mechanical plaqJe control is an effective way of treating and preventing gingivitis.

The aim of this * study was to compare the effect of manual tooth brushing on periodontal health status between right handed and left handed dental students (inter group comparison)and between right side and left side of dentition of each group separatelyjintra group comparison).

Materials and Methods: One hundred dental students were enrolled in the study, the subjects with an age range (22-23) year's old, fifty'students were right handed and the other fifty one were left handed.

The study was cross sectional, all subjects were selected regardless the periodontal health status and sex but adjusted according to age, regularly tooth brushers and if they were right handed or left handed tooth brushers.

All periodontal parameters: plaque index (PLI), gingival index (Gl), bleeding on probing (BOP), probing pocket depth (PPD) and clinical attachment loss (CAL) were recorded for all teeth except the third molar which was excluded.

Results: there was significant difference in plaque index between both groups and high significant differences in plaque index between right-and left sides of each group separately.

Non significant difference in mean gingival index between both groups while there was high significant difference of gingival index between right and left sides of each group separately.

High significant differences of bleeding sites between both groups and between both sides of each group separately.

We use a scale for ease of estimation based on increased pocket depth for probing pocket depth and the same method for clinical attachment loss parameters, it involve the scales (0,1,2,3) for probing pocket depth and scales (1,2,3) for clinical attachment level.

The results of probing pocket depth showed that there was significant difference only in scale 1 and non significant differences in all other scales between both groups while in intra group comparison, there was a high significant difference in scales 1, 2 and non significant differences in scales 0, 3 between both sides of right handed group and high significant difference in scales 1, 2 and non significant differences in scales 0, 3 between both sides of left handed group.

The inter and intra group comparisons showed that there was non significant differences in all scales of clinical attachment level.

Conclusions: Left handed group had better skills to manipulate with tooth brushing and good oral hygiene than right handed group and each group separately showed better skills to manipulate with tooth brushing and good oral hygiene in the side'other than the side of the dominant hand