Investigating the awareness and use of oral hygiene aids in the Maltese islands

Abstract

The purpose of the Study: The purpose of this study was to evaluate and analyse the knowledge, awareness, and use of various oral hygiene aids amongst the Maltese population. Materials and Methods: This study made use of an anonymous questionnaire which was available in two languages, English and Maltese and which was distributed on various social media pages starting in August 2022 with the last response collected in April 2023. The questionnaire had 18 questions which investigated the knowledge, awareness and use of oral hygiene aids. Results and Conclusions A total of 261 individuals participated in the study. This sample size is representative of the Maltese population, (62.8%) being female and 97 (37.2%) being male. 45.6% of participants were aged 8-19 followed by the 30-49 age group (33.3%) then the 50-69 age group (18%) and lastly the 70+ age group (3.1%). The Maltese population has high awareness of different oral hygiene aids with 88.7% being aware of dental floss and 47.7% aware of interdental brushes. Participants were less aware of other oral hygiene aids such as super floss (10.9%) and water flosser (21.5%). With regards to use of the oral hygiene aids, 51.3% of the participants reported brushing their teeth twice a day, while 38.7% reported brushing only once a day. 64.4% reported use of interdental aids, most commonly dental floss at 75.3%. The most prevalent time of use of interdental aids was after tooth brushing at 38.5% followed by after a meal at 26.9%. Multiple significant differences between sex, age and education level were identified with this research. Females brush their teeth (p=0.031) and clean interdentally at a higher frequency (p=0.025). They also have more knowledge and awareness on different oral hygiene aids. Age also influenced brushing habits, with older individuals more likely to brush after meals (p=0.015), while younger groups had higher awareness of dental floss (p=0.004, p=0.001, p=0.025). Education level influenced the timing of brushing (p=0.04), and the type of interdental aids used where individuals with only a secondary education used wooden interdental sticks more frequently than individuals with a post-secondary education (p=0.34) and ones with an under-graduate education (p=0.001). This study provides essential baseline data for the Maltese population, which was previously unavailable. These insights can inform future educational campaigns and preventive strategies targeting demographics with lower awareness and usage of oral hygiene aids. Continued research is recommended to reassess knowledge levels and improve oral health practices across the Maltese Islands