Abstract
Background
Dental floss is an important part of oral health care. However, its use among dental students remains unknown precisely.
Objectives
This study aims to assess the prevalence of dental floss use among dental students at Al-Sham Private University, and to identify the factors affecting this use.
Materials and methods
A cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample of 114 students during the period from January 2024 to July 2024 at Al-Sham Private University, and the random sampling method was used. Data were collected from students between May 2024 and June 2024. The sample size was selected after consulting statistical experts and physicians, headed by Dr. Ghina Najati. In this study, we based on a previous study conducted in 2022 at Jinnah Sindh Medical University, Sindh Institute of Oral Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan, in which the prevalence of dental floss use was approximately 34.35%.
Results
This study showed that among 114 participants, 61 male and female students used dental floss with a prevalence rate of 53.51%, and that there were no statistically significant differences between the participants' average performance on the Dental Floss Use scale attributed to the gender variable. This study also indicated that the use of dental floss according to the academic year variable was in favor of fifth-year students (30.36%), and that the use of dental floss according to the age variable was in favor of students aged over 25 years (36.50%).
Recommendations:
This study provided important insights that will help in developing educational and awareness strategies to promote the use of dental floss among dental students, which will positively reflect on their future practice as dentists and on their patients' health. This study may contribute to improving medical education curricula to promote awareness of the importance of comprehensive oral and dental care.