January 2015 Supplement

Introduction The importance of plaque control measures to contribute to the oral health status of an individual has been emphasized in all workshops on periodontology (Claydon, 2008). Oral cleanliness is important for the preservation of oral health as it removes microbial plaque, thereby preventing its accumulation on teeth and gingivae (Choo et al., 2001). Self-care includes all self-supporting activities that an individual performs to prevent and treat personal ill health. Self-care or home-use activities include toothbrushing combined with interdental cleaning. People brush their teeth for a number of reasons: to feel fresh and confident, to have a nice smile, and to avoid bad breath and disease (Choo et al., 2001). But despite the widespread use of both toothbrushes and fluoride toothpastes, the majority of the population do not clean their teeth thoroughly enough to prevent plaque accumulation (Claydon, 2008).