Comparative study of the oral hygiene status of users of mefakia (traditional tooth cleaning method) and modern toothbrushes among patients at the Holy Bethel Dental Clinic in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Background: Mefakia is a well-known traditional chewing wood used in Ethiopia to cleanse the mouth. Although mefakia is used in parallel with modern toothbrushes to improve oral hygiene, there is a gap in the literature regarding its comparative performance in removing plaque and maintaining good oral hygiene.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate and compare the oral hygiene status of patients using mefakia and modern toothbrushes at the Holy Bethel Dental Clinic in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.