Evaluation of Curved Design Soft-Picks on Patients With Gingivitis

Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of Curved Soft-Picks compared with Glide Floss in the reduction of gingivitis and plaque.
Methods: This was a 4-week, examiner-masked, parallel group, controlled clinical study with 50 participants. Clinical parameters were: Gingival Index (UNC-GI), Bleeding on Probing (BOP), Probing Depth (PD) and Modified QH Plaque Index (PI). Qualified participants with gingivitis (no site with PD >4 mm, BOP ≥10% but ≤50%) were eligible for the study enrollment. More than three weeks after prophylaxis, participants were randomly assigned one of 2 groups: (1) GUM® Soft-Picks® Advance or (2) Glide® Pro-Health Floss Original. Participants used assigned device once daily for four weeks. Clinical parameters were obtained at 2 and 4 weeks after the start of the study. All participants scored their level of product familiarity, satisfaction and motivation for interdental cleaning with the assigned device in a diary.
Results: There were no statistically significant differences between two groups in changes from baseline to 2 or 4 weeks in UNC-GI, BOP%, and PI. However, Soft-Picks group showed greater reduction of PD at 4 weeks from baseline compared with Floss group (p<0.05).
Soft-Picks group showed overall better compliance level than Floss group. Regarding qualitative information, the mean score of “ease of use” during the study period of Soft-Picks group was significantly greater than that of Floss group. On the other hand, Floss group showed better “satisfaction” than Soft-Picks group. Motivation for interdental cleaning was higher in Soft-Picks group than Floss group.

Conclusions: Curved Soft-Picks was similar to Glide Floss in clinical effectiveness; however, PD reduction at 4 weeks was greater in Soft-Picks group than that of Floss group. The ease of use of Soft-Picks may have affected the participants’ motivation for interdental cleaning every day, which resulted in better compliance with Soft-Picks than Glide Floss.