Contemporary Perception Of Oral Hygiene Among Adults Using Pea-Sized Blob And A Glut Of Toothpaste In Chennai, India- A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: Toothpaste manufacturers and dental professionals frequently recommend to brush our teeth with a pea-sized blob of toothpaste. But often people tend to cover the entire head of a toothbrush, sometimes with two bars and further, some people also apply toothpaste for a second time to brush their teeth.

Aim: To access the excess amount of toothpaste usage while brushing among adults in Chennai.

 Materials and method: A cross-sectional study was done using a self-validated questionnaire which consists of 15 closed-ended and open-ended questions. This study was conducted among 103 active participants in Tambaram local population of Chennai. The Chi-Square test was used for the statistical analysis where the p-value less than 0.05 was considered significant.

Result:

Almost 98.3% of males had purchased less than or equal to 3 toothpaste tubes per month, whereas 1.7% of males had purchased less than or equal to 6 toothpaste tubes per month. Moreover, among females, 93.2% had purchased less than or equal to 3 toothpaste tubes, whereas 2.3% of females are using mouth freshener to control their mouth odor. The association between male and female in using mouth fresheners to control the mouth odor and quantity of toothpaste purchased every month was statistically significant. Conclusion: Most of the individuals use exorbitant toothpaste for cleaning the teeth, the tongue, as well as the mucosa of the oral cavity that is heavily coated with flavors and sensations leaving behind the plaque. There is a need for the dental professionals to create awareness on the effects of using the excess quantity of toothpaste for brushing (like dental fluorosis leading to caries, staining, loss of taste sensations etc.). Hence, the education of people regarding the importance of the quantity of toothpaste to be used for brushing to maintain good oral hygiene is essential for day to day life. Professionals can educate every individual about using the recommended amount of toothpaste to realize the maximum benefit.