Static and Dynamic Characteristics of Toothbrushing

Abstract

Manual toothbrushing is the principal method in general use for accomplishing the goal of plaque control for home dental care. This goal has not been achieved, which suggests that there is considerable room for integrated redesign in what must be regarded as a man-tool system with strong human factor components. Design in man-tool systems requires knowledge of the system objects (man, tool, task), system interfaces (man-tool: manipulation, tool-task: engagement) and system interactions (relating objects to interfaces.)

This report furnishes a fine-grain analysis of toothbrushing, obtained through time-motion studies, which describes static and dynamic characteristics of manipulation and engagement and interactions in the man-tool system. Several suggested design caveats based on these results are given.

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