Cleansing efficacy of an oral irrigator with microburst technology in adolescent orthodontic patients. A randomized-controlled crossover study.

OBJECTIVES: Simplifying interdental space cleaning is a constantly discussed topic. The present study aimed to compare the cleansing efficacy of an oral irrigator with that of dental flossing in adolescent patients with fixed braces after four weeks of home-use. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study design is a randomized, single-blinded cross-over study. Following a twenty-eight-day period of product utilization in a home setting, a comparative analysis was conducted on hygiene indices, the Rustogi Modified Navy Plaque Index (RMNPI) and the Gingival Bleeding Index (GBI), between the test group (oral irrigator) and the control group (dental floss). RESULTS: Seventeen adolescent individuals completed the study. After 28 days of cleaning with the oral irrigator, RMNPI was 58.81% (55.31-66.47) compared to 59.46% (52.68-68.67) with dental floss (p = 0.070). Subgroup analyses did not indicate the superiority of either method. GBI after the test phase with the oral irrigator was 28.93% (23.21-33.97) and insignificantly higher compared to 26.40% (21.01-31.41) achieved with dental floss (p = 0.1585). CONCLUSIONS: Neither of the two products demonstrated statistically significant superiority in terms of cleaning efficacy. Therefore, no recommendation can be made in favor of one over the other. It was found that the high initial hygiene indices for fixed orthodontic appliances could be improved through increased awareness and precise instruction. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: For adolescent patients who struggle to use interdental brushes an oral irrigator may be suggested as a simple alternative in hard-to-reach areas, such as those around a fixed dental appliance.

A qualitative exploration to inform an oral health training for disability care workers in Burkina Faso.

AIM: To explore enablers and barriers to the creation of an oral health training for care workers at specialized centres for children with disabilities in Ouagadougou. DESIGN: This was a formative study informed by the Theoretical Domains Framework using qualitative methods. METHODS: Qualitative observations and 14 semi-structured interviews were conducted with care workers from six specialized centres for disability. RESULTS: Carer workers emphasized that a successful oral health training must account for available resources and competencies in each specific centre. Part of the training must be dedicated to oral hygiene targeted for people with disabilities and provide knowledge about risk factor management. Care workers must be empowered through the training with practical skills and tools to manage regular toothbrushing and identify oral health needs of their dependents. CONCLUSION: This study gathered valuable and unique perspectives about the roles of care workers of children with disabilities in Ouagadougou and underscores the need for improving access to oral health and care services for children with disabilities in low-resourced settings. IMPLICATIONS FOR PATIENT CARE: Teams planning oral health promotion activities in low resourced settings for vulnerable population groups can benefit from the methodology and results of this research for ensuring their interventions are appropriate and relevant. IMPACT: This is a unique field study conducted in a scarcely researched area of caregiving practices for children with disabilities in a low-income country, Burkina Faso. Results from the disability centre observations and interviews with local caregivers are of great value to any team planning health projects in similar low-resourced settings. Psychiatric and mental health nursing practices are highly context-dependent, thus using proposed qualitative methods can help to ensure that planned interventions are appropriate and relevant. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: There was no patient contribution in this study.

Effect of game-based teaching on the oral health of children: a systematic review of randomised control trials.

Poor oral health during childhood can lead to various oral diseases and have long-term implications for dental health. Innovative and engaging oral health educational approaches such as game-based teaching have emerged as a promising modality for health education. This systematic review examined the effectiveness of game-based teaching methods on the oral health of children (4-12 yrs). Scopus, Medline and Web of Science databases were searched according to specific inclusion and exclusion criteria. Inclusion criteria included randomised trials that compared traditional methods of oral health education with game-based interventions in preschoolers and school-age children. The quality of the data was determined using Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials (ROB-2). A total of seven studies that examined 1097 children (4-12 yrs) were included in this systematic review with the association of game-based teaching of oral health. The findings indicated that the utilization of game-based methods significantly improved children's oral health outcomes when compared to traditional teaching approaches. Specifically, the game-based interventions demonstrated positive effects on various aspects of oral health, including enhanced oral health knowledge, improved oral hygiene scores, and reductions in debris and plaque scores. The game-based interventions were found to be more effective in promoting oral health when compared to conventional methods of teaching, such as verbal instructions or educational posters. Based on the limited evidence available, game-based teaching appears to be an effective approach for promoting oral health among children, consistently demonstrating positive outcomes, including improved oral health knowledge, enhanced oral hygiene scores, and reductions in debris and plaque scores. Further well-designed trials adhering to reporting guidelines and using objective measures are necessary before outlining universal guidelines for best practice.

Using patients' oral photographs for oral hygiene motivation promotes periodontal health: a prospective randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this prospective, randomized, controlled, single-centered, examiner-blinded clinical trial was to evaluate the effectiveness of a personalized and visual oral health education program in addition to conventional oral hygiene education. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-six non-smoker, right-handed participants (aged 30.34 ± 11.46 years) without clinical signs of periodontitis were randomly grouped: the intervention group (n = 28) received a personalized visualized oral health education combined with conventional oral hygiene education, and the control group (n = 28) received conventional oral hygiene education only. All participants were assessed for improved periodontal parameters (PI, GI, BOP, and PPD) at baseline, first month, and third month. RESULTS: A significant reduction (p < 0.001) was observed in PI, GI, and BOP during two follow-up sessions compared to the baseline for the two groups. No differences were found for inter-group (p > 0.05) or intra-group (p = 1) comparison of PPD. PI (p = 0.012), GI (p = 0.032), and BOP (p = 0.024) scores were significantly reduced at the third-month follow-up assessment in the intervention group compared to the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical outcomes of periodontal health were significantly enhanced by the personalized and visual oral health education program applied in this study compared to the conventional oral hygiene education program. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Numerous studies reported additional interventions to the oral hygiene education program. However, we did not find any published studies investigating the role of patients' intra-oral photographs in oral care. This study's results demonstrated that a visually aided education program for oral hygiene motivation may help improve oral health. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: Registration number is "NCT06316505" and date of registration is 18/03/2024.

A randomised controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness of personalised oral hygiene advice delivered via video technology.

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether video-technology oral hygiene advice (OHA) improved clinical plaque and bleeding on probing (BOP) scores in individuals diagnosed with gingivitis, compared to conventional OHA after 3-months. METHODS: This parallel, randomised 2-arm treatment, single-centre study, assessed Turesky Plaque Index (TPI) and BOP at baseline and 3-months in adult participants with mild-moderate gingivitis. Eligible participants with smartphones were randomised at baseline to intervention (tailored video OHA), or control (conventional OHA). Oral hygiene (OH) habits/attitudes were recorded with a questionnaire. All participants used a manual toothbrush with anti-gingivitis toothpaste twice daily. RESULTS: 57 participants completed the study. Both groups had improved gingival health (BOP) after 3-months, change from baseline being significantly greater in the intervention group (12.21% vs 6.80 %, p < 0.05). TPI scores decreased more in the intervention than control group, but the difference did not reach significance (1.15 vs 0.92, p = 0.079). OH habits and attitudes were similar at baseline and few differences between the groups were observed after 3-months, however frequency of interdental brush use was significantly increased, while self-rated oral health was significantly decreased in the intervention as compared to control group at this timepoint (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The combination of an individually tailored instructional video with appropriate toothbrushing using anti-gingivitis toothpaste and interdental brush, significantly improved participants' gingival health over 3-months compared to brushing with an anti-gingivitis toothpaste with conventional OHA as delivered in the general dental services. This study demonstrates the benefit of changing OH behaviour and delivering OHA using an individually tailored approach with contemporary methodology. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: OHA is usually verbally delivered over short time periods. This study demonstrates video technology with individualised OHA improves OH adherence and empowers individuals, the recipient receiving personal visual cues with ability to replay advice and technique reiteration. This real-world technology could be better utilised in general dental practice.

A Preschool based intervention to reduce Early Childhood Caries in a District of Sri Lanka: A Quasi-experimental Study.

OBJECTIVE: Early Childhood Caries (ECC) is prevalent among preschool children. The aim was to assess the effectiveness of an intervention to modify family-level determinants of caries (i.e. maternal parenting style, oral health-related self-efficacy and oral health-related knowledge) via preschool teachers, to improve the child level determinants of ECC (dietary sugar consumption, oral hygiene pattern, dental attendance pattern). BASIC RESEARCH DESIGN: Quasi-experimental study. SETTING: Preschools in Gampaha District, Sri Lanka. PARTICIPANTS: Preschoolers and their mothers/caregivers. INTERVENTIONS: Delivered via preschool teachers to 200 children and their caregivers. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Maternal parenting style, oral health related self-efficacy and oral health related knowledge, parentally reported dietary sugar consumption, oral hygiene pattern, dental attendance pattern and ECC. RESULTS: Maternal oral health related knowledge, authoritative parenting, authoritarian parenting and oral health related self-efficacy, maternally reported sugar consumption, sweetened drink consumption, tooth brushing frequency, dental visiting during the past six months and receipt of treatment better in the intervention group than the control group post-intervention. CONCLUSIONS: The intervention shows potential in modifying family level determinants of ECC.

Oral health education strategies for patients living with cardiovascular disease within hospital settings: a scoping review.

Objective: To identify and describe the impact of current oral health education programmes provided to patients in cardiology hospital wards and outpatient clinics. Methods: This review was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis for Scoping Reviews statement. Searches were conducted using electronic databases: Cochrane, Medline, and Scopus, as well as grey literature searching. Results: Three eligible studies were identified. All included studies reported generalised poor oral health in their participants at baseline, with significant improvement at follow-up. They all reported significant reductions in plaque deposits and gingival bleeding. One study reported significantly less bacteria on participant tongues, as well as fewer days with post-operative atrial fibrillation in the intervention group. Furthermore, in this study, one patient in the intervention group developed pneumonia, whilst four patients in the control group did. Conclusion: Oral health education for patients with cardiovascular disease is limited and many have poor oral health. Educational programmes to improve oral health behaviours in patients with cardiovascular disease can improve both oral and general health outcomes. Implications for public health: Oral disease is a modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Integrating oral health education into cardiology hospital settings is a simple strategy to improve access to oral health information and improve both oral and cardiovascular outcomes.

Effectiveness of oral health education on oral hygiene status among adult male inmates in central jail, Kolkata - an interventional study.

PURPOSE: Oral health is an integral part of general health. Different population groups have been assessed for oral health status in India, but still, many have been neglected; one such group is the prisoners. The prison population is a unique and challenging one with many health problems, including poor oral health, which may be due to lack of knowledge about good oral health practices. This study aims to assess effectiveness of oral health education on oral health knowledge, attitude and practices and oral hygiene status among the male prison inmates of central jail in Kolkata, India. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: An interventional study was done among 240 male convicts. The data was elicited using a structured proforma; oral health status was assessed by recording OHI-S index, and the severity of gingivitis was assessed by recording the gingival index. Oral health education was delivered by using audio-visual aid. Oral health knowledge, attitude, practices and oral hygiene and gingival status were reassessed among the inmates before and after dental education at the end of three and six months. FINDINGS: A significant change in oral health knowledge, attitude and practices was seen, which in turn resulted in an appreciable decrease in the mean gingival index score (1.73 ± 0.382 to 1.20 ± 0.321) and OHI-S (3.31 ± 0.815 to 2.57 ± 0.551) in all the inmates after oral health education program over the period of time. ORIGINALITY/VALUE: The oral health education with reinforcement proved to be an effective tool to instil good oral hygiene practices in the inmates.

Effect of Honey-based Oral Care on Oral Health of Patients With Stroke Undergoing Rehabilitation: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

PURPOSE: To investigate the effects of honey-based oral care on the oral health of patients with stroke undergoing rehabilitation. METHODS: In this randomized controlled trial, 44 stroke patients from a tertiary hospital's rehabilitation ward were assigned to receive either honey-based oral care or normal saline, with treatments administered twice daily for 2 weeks. The study, conducted from November 2021 to August 2022, employed a double-blind method, blinding both participants and evaluators to treatment allocations. The key outcomes measured included oral status, dental plaque index (DPI), and xerostomia. The final analysis included 13 patients in the experimental group and 16 in the control group. RESULTS: The intervention significantly changed the oral status, DPI, and xerostomia between the groups. The experimental group showed significantly improved oral status (Z = -4.63, p < .001), DPI (Z = -4.58, p < .001), and xerostomia (t = -6.33, p < .001) compared with the control group. The experimental group showed significant improvements in oral status (Z = -3.27, p = .001), DPI (Z = -3.19, p = .001), and xerostomia (t = 7.37, p < .001) after the intervention, confirming the efficacy of honey-based oral care. CONCLUSIONS: Honey-based oral care effectively improves oral status and xerostomia, and reduces DPI in patients with stroke. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: Clinical Research Information Service, KCT0008201. Registered on 04 February 2023. The first patient was enrolled on November 16, 2021, at https://cris.nih.go.kr/cris/search/listDetail.do?searchWord=KCT0008201&search_yn=Y.

Comparing the effectiveness of two educational methods for oral health management in COVID-19 pandemic among dental professionals.

AIM. The aim of this study was to train dentists on the different oral hygiene measures to be followed by COVID-19 patients via Webinar and Information Education Communication (IEC) Materials and compare the effectiveness of both. METHODOLOGY. A total of 100 dental professionals were included by non-probability convenience sampling. Webinar and IEC Materials on oral hygiene measures, oral symptoms, and management strategies during COVID-19 were created and training was conducted for all dental professionals who registered themselves. An online version of the self-administered questionnaire (English) was created on the official Edantseva website and circulated to all the registered participants to obtain the pre and post-training data. RESULTS. Out of the total 80 participants in the Webinar group, 47 were females and 33 were males. Comparing the mean total scores obtained by the participants in the webinar and IEC groups in the pre and post-test showed that there is a significant difference in the scores obtained by the participants in the two groups in the pre and post-test (p<0.01). CONCLUSION. Educating dentists via IEC Materials was effective in improving their knowledge regarding oral health management during the COVID-19 pandemic. IEC materials being handy and referable at any time was found to be more effective.

The Effect of Local Application of Tea Tree Oil Adjunctive to Daily Oral Maintenance and Nonsurgical Periodontal Treatment: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomised Controlled Studies.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of the adjunctive use of tea tree oil (TTO) for dental plaque control and nonsurgical periodontal treatment (NSPT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three electronic databases were searched from 2003. The reference lists of the included articles and relevant reviews were also manually searched. Randomised controlled trials reporting the clinical outcomes of the topical use of TTO as an adjunct to daily oral hygiene or scaling and root planing (SRP) were included. Regarding the use of TTO as an adjunctive to daily oral hygiene, the primary outcome was plaque index (PI) reduction. Regarding the use of TTO as an adjunctive to SRP, probing pocket depth (PPD) reduction and clinical attachment level (CAL) gain were the primary outcomes. The secondary outcomes were adverse events. RESULTS: Eleven studies were included for qualitative analysis, 9 studies were included for quantitative analysis, and 6 studies were included to examine the application of TTO mouthwash as an adjunctive to daily oral hygiene. In addition, three studies were included to analyse the subgingival use of TTO adjunctive to SRP at selected sites. The results indicated a nonsignificant improvement in PI reduction in the TTO mouthwash group compared with placebo. The incidence of adverse events was statistically significantly greater in the CHX group than in the TTO group. For subgingival use of TTO adjunctive to SRP, beneficial effects were observed in the TTO group compared with SRP alone in terms of PPD and CAL at both three and six months post-treatment. However, an unpleasant taste was reported in three out of four studies. CONCLUSION: There is a lack of strong evidence to support the beneficial effects of TTO. Studies with larger sample sizes and standardised evaluation criteria are needed to further demonstrate the clinical relevance of TTO.

Oral health of chemotherapy patients before and after provision of oral hygiene instructions at a tertiary care hospital: pre-post design.

OBJECTIVE: Disturbances in the oral mucosa is a major concern among patients undergoing chemotherapy. One of the most significant barriers in the implementation of oral care is the lack of knowledge. The aim of the study was to assess gingival and periodontal health status of chemotherapy patients before and after the provision of oral hygiene instructions. METHODS: A single group, pre-post test was conducted to assess oral health status of patients at the daycare chemotherapy, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan. Oral hygiene instructions were given with study models and leaflets. Patients were followed for 6-weeks. Oral health was assessed by using Simplified-Oral Hygiene Index (OHI-S) and Community Periodontal Index (CPI). Differences in indices were analyzed in STATA version-15.0 using Generalized Estimating Equation (GEE) and Wilcoxon Signed-rank test. RESULTS: Out of 74, 53 (72%) patients completed study follow-up. Improvement in the OHI-S was found in 14 (26%) patients (p-value < 0.001). GEE showed that age [adjusted OR = 1.10; 95% CI: 1.03-1.11], current chemotherapy cycle [adjusted OR = 1.19; 95% CI: 0.98-1.46], highest education level [Adjusted OR = 1.37; 95% CI: 1.08-12.7] and cancer therapy [Adjusted OR = 0.12; 95% CI: 0.24-0.55] were significantly associated with the change in OHI-S. Wilcoxon signed-rank test showed positive changes in the CPI (p-value < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Basic oral hygiene instructional intervention can be effective in improving the oral hygiene of chemotherapy patients. Nurses should also play a key role in providing psychological and nutritional support to patients.

Exploring dental and oral hygiene students' interprofessional readiness: a cross-sectional study in joint paediatric outreach training.

BACKGROUND: Interprofessional education is vital in oral healthcare education and should be integrated into both theoretical and work-based education. Little research addresses interprofessional education in dental hands-on training in authentic oral healthcare settings. The aim of the study was to examine the readiness and attitudes of dental and oral hygiene students towards interprofessional education during joint paediatric outreach training. METHODS: In the spring of 2022, a cross-sectional study was done involving dental and oral hygiene students using the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) during joint paediatric outreach training. The 19-item tool was answered on a five-point Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree, 2 = disagree, 3 = neutral, 4 = agree, and 5 = strongly agree). Means, standard deviations, minimums, maximums, and medians were calculated for each subscale and overall score. Students grouped according to their categorical variables were compared for statistically significant differences. The Mann-Whitney U-test was used for groups of two and the Kruskal-Wallis one-way analysis for groups of three or more. The internal consistency of the scale was measured with Cronbach's alpha. Statistical level was set at 0.05. RESULTS: The survey included 111 participants, consisting of 51 oral hygiene students and 60 dental students, with a response rate of 93%. The questionnaire yielded a high overall mean score of 4.2. Both oral hygiene (4.3) and dental students (4.2) displayed strong readiness for interprofessional education measured by the RIPLS. The subscale of teamwork and collaboration achieved the highest score of 4.5. Students lacking prior healthcare education or work experience obtained higher RIPLS scores. Oral hygiene students rated overall items (p = 0.019) and the subscales of positive professional identity (p = < 0.001) and roles and responsibilities (p = 0.038) higher than dental students. The Cronbach's alpha represented high internal consistency for overall RIPLS scores on the scale (0.812). CONCLUSIONS: Both oral hygiene and dental students perceived shared learning as beneficial and showcased high readiness for interprofessional education, as evident in their RIPLS scores. Integrating interprofessional learning into oral hygiene and dental curricula is important. Studying together can form a good basis for future working life collaboration.

Manejo odontológico de una paciente con síndrome de Apert / Dental management of a patient with Apert syndrome

El síndrome de Apert, marcado por la acrocéfalo-sindactilia, es una condición genética que genera deformidades dentofaciales incluyendo craneosinostosis, alteraciones faciales y malformaciones en extremidades. La mutación en el gen FGFR2, ya sea heredada o resultante de mutaciones esporádicas, desencadena esta compleja condición. La relevancia de abordar el síndrome de Apert se manifiesta no sólo en las implicaciones estéticas, sino también en su impacto en la salud oral. Romper con los paradigmas odontológicos actuales implica reconocer las particularidades de estos pacientes y proporcionar una atención especializada. La necesidad de una capacitación específica para los profesionales de la salud oral es evidente, permitiendo un enfoque integral que aborde la prevención y el tratamiento de las malformaciones craneofaciales asociadas. Superar los desafíos tradicionales implica adoptar una perspectiva inclusiva y personalizada en la atención odontológica. Esto no sólo mejora la calidad de vida de los pacientes con síndrome de Apert, sino que también destaca la importancia de una atención adaptada que trascienda los límites convencionales, ofreciendo soluciones innovadoras para las complejidades bucodentales asociadas a esta condición genética (AU)

Apert syndrome, marked by acrocephalosyndactyly, is a genetic condition that generates dentofacial deformities, including craniosynostosis, facial alterations and limb malformations. Mutation in the FGFR2 gene, whether inherited or resulting from sporadic mutations, triggers this complex condition. The relevance of addressing Apert syndrome is manifested not only in the aesthetic implications, but also in its impact on oral health. Breaking with current dental paradigms involves recognizing the particularities of these patients and providing specialized care. The need for specific training for dental health professionals is evident, allowing a comprehensive approach that addresses the prevention and treatment of associated craniofacial malformations. Overcoming traditional challenges means taking an inclusive and personalized perspective on dental care. This not only improves the quality of life of patients with Apert syndrome, but also highlights the importance of tailored care that transcends conventional boundaries, offering innovative solutions for the oral complexities associated with this genetic conditio (AU)

Dental treatment outcomes in Thai children treated for severe early-childhood caries under general anaesthesia and non-pharmacological behaviour management: a retrospective study.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to compare dental-treatment outcomes, oral-hygiene improvement, and patient co-operation during follow-up visits between children treated under general anaesthesia (GA) and non-pharmacological behaviour management (NP). METHODS: This retrospective study reviewed the dental chart records of healthy patients less than 71-month-old with severe early childhood caries (S-ECC) from 2008 to 2020 with at least a 6-month follow-up. The demographical data, dental-treatment outcomes, oral-hygiene status, and patient behaviour at the follow-up visits were analysed by the Mann-Whitney U test, Pearson's Chi-square, Fisher's exact test, Friedman test, and Wilcoxon test with a significance level of 0.05. RESULTS: This study included 210 GA cases and 210 age-matched control NP cases. The GA group had a significantly higher caries experience, lower patient co-operation, poorer oral hygiene, and higher number of complex dental treatment than the NP group at baseline (p < 0.001). The number of children who had incomplete dental treatment under non-pharmacological behaviour management was higher than the GA group. After treatment, the number of new carious teeth in the NP group was significantly higher than in the GA group only at the 6-month follow-up. However, there was no significant difference in treatment failure, oral-hygiene improvement, and patient behaviour between groups. CONCLUSION: Although patients in the GA group had higher dental and behaviour problems than the NP group, the overall dental-treatment outcomes, including oral hygiene and behaviour improvement, were not significantly different between groups Therefore, regular follow-up and preventive treatment in the maintenance phase are essential for children with severe early-childhood caries.

Non-surgical treatment of idiopathic gingival enlargement: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Idiopathic gingival enlargement is associated with plaque, but other contributing factors are unclear. The prognosis of idiopathic gingival enlargement is closely related to the patient's oral hygiene habits and regular follow-up. CASE PRESENTATION: This article reports a case of a 32-year-old male patient with idiopathic gingival enlargement. The patient presented to the department of stomatology with a 2-month history of gingival swelling and pain on the right upper posterior teeth. During the treatment, oral hygiene instruction, supragingival cleaning, subgingival scaling, and root planning were carried out, and part of the hyperplastic gingiva was taken and sent for pathology. Pathological examination showed gingival enlargement with chronic suppurative inflammation. At 4-month follow-up, the patient's periodontal condition remained basically stable, and the gingival enlargement did not recur. CONCLUSION: The treatment of this case resulted in significant reduction of gingival swelling and patient's pain reduction through non-surgical treatment and good plaque control, indicating that patients with idiopathic gingival enlargement can also achieve ideal results through non-surgical treatment. Through oral hygiene instruction, the patient mastered the method of self-plaque control, which is conducive to the long-term stabilization of the periodontal situation.

Effectiveness of dental floss in the management of gingival health: A 6-month follow-up of a randomized controlled clinical trial.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate, (i) if subjects submitted to a structured oral hygiene training program (OHt) maintain adopted habits over 180 days without professional guidance; and (ii) in perspective whether flossing provides additional benefits to toothbrushing on gingival health. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy-five adult subjects showing approximately 40% proximal gingival bleeding were randomized to receive OHt (1 session weekly over 8 weeks) using toothbrush and dental floss or toothbrush alone. The subjects were then followed over 180 days without professional guidance. Primary outcomes were mean interproximal Gingival Index (GI) and GI = 2 (gingival bleeding). Mixed linear models were used for the comparison between groups (p < 0.05). RESULTS: 68 subjects received OHt, 48 subjects completed the 180-day follow-up. Subjects maintained adequate oral hygiene routines. Besides a reduction in gingival inflammation, no alterations in gingival status were observed among groups, subjects additionally instructed to use dental floss showing a mean interproximal GI = 2 of 12.8 ± 2.5 compared with 19.8 ± 2.2 for subjects limited to tooth brushing alone. CONCLUSIONS: OHt intensive training promotes gingival health and maintenance lasting at least 6 months without professional supervision reinforcing important principles: (i) dental health professionals should dedicate time training and motivating their patients to reach adequate self-performed plaque control; and (ii) the adjunctive use of dental floss appears essential to reduce interproximal gingival inflammation in subjects with intact interdental papillae. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Dentists need to invest time in training/motivating/engage their patients to achieve adequate OH; adjunct flossing in subjects with papilla filling the interdental space appears essential to reach and maintain gingival health. CLINICALTRIALS: GOV : (53831716.5.0000.5346). TRIAL REGISTRATION: The protocol registration was filed May 9, 2018 (# 538,311,716.5.0000.5346) on ClinicalTrials.gov. An NCT number (NCT04909840) was generated upon completed registration.

Self-determined use of provided powered oral hygiene devices leads to improved gingival health after 1 year: a longitudinal clinical trial.

PURPOSE: Our study aimed to evaluate the long-term concordance and acceptance when using powered devices for everyday oral hygiene routine and gingival health in patients showing papillary bleeding. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirty-one participants were recruited at the dental clinic of the University Hospital of Cologne, Germany, over a 6-week duration. At baseline, a standard dental check-up was performed, including oral hygiene indices and documentation of oral hygiene devices used. The study consisted of two consecutive phases: the first (motivational trial) was designed to prove the effectiveness and safety of a microdroplet device and a powered toothbrush compared to dental floss and a manual toothbrush over a period of 4 weeks. The second (observational) phase began with all participants receiving the powered oral homecare devices. Participants were able to use their oral hygiene measures of choice over an unsupervised period of 1 year. All participants were then rescheduled for a routine dental check-up, where oral hygiene indices and oral hygiene devices used were reevaluated. RESULTS: After 1 year, 93.3% of participants stated they performed interdental cleaning on a regular basis (baseline 60.0%). The percentage using a powered toothbrush increased from 41.9% (baseline) to 90.0% after 1 year. Oral hygiene parameters had improved after both the motivational trial and observational phases compared to baseline (papillary bleeding index p = .000; Rustogi Modified Navy Plaque Index p < .05; Quigley-Hein Index p = .000). CONCLUSION: In the long term, participants preferred using powered oral hygiene devices over the gold standard dental floss and manual toothbrush. Improved oral hygiene parameters after 1 year may indicate implementation of newly acquired oral-hygiene skills during the 4-week instruction phase.

Creating Behavior Change for Interdental Biofi lm Disruption: Oral Irrigation as a Solution to Increasing Patient Compliance.

Interdental cleaning is critical to maintaining oral health, preventing dental issues, and promoting overall well-being. However, many patients either struggle with consistently following recommended interdental care routines or have poor technique when complying with recommendations. Addressing this problem requires a multifaceted approach comprised of tailored patient education and patient-clinician partnership to provide both an effective interdental cleaning tool and an accessible method for the patient to implement the modified interdental habit into their routine. The aim of this article is to discuss the different modalities for interdental cleaning, how to assess patient candidacy for different interdental cleaning modalities, and behavior-change strategies to promote patient compliance to recommended interdental care.

Impact of Patient Education Formats on Treatment Adherence and Denture Hygiene in Edentulous Patients: A Comparative Study.

BACKGROUND Effective communication and patient education are important in geriatric dental care. Memory decline complicates patient adherence. This study aimed to compare verbal, audio, and video patient education material (PEM) and adherence to dental prosthetic management in edentulous patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS 90 completely/partially edentulous patients (aged 40 to 70 years), were divided (simple random) into three groups (Gp) of 30 each . A total of 68 instructions were organized into 9 learning categories. For GpVi, a 20 minute video was shot using a Sony camera (PD170), with two actors depicting related PEM information. Patients were recalled after 1 day and 7days, to recall the PEM instructions. A Denture plaque Index (DPI) determined the efficiency of the instructions at both time intervals. Frequencies, means and standard deviations were derived for each group and then compared using Chi square, paired and unpaired t test and a Neuman-Keul post hoc pairwise test. All significant differences were kept at probability t value of ≤0.05. RESULTS PEM instructions related to patient individuality, proper tongue position and miscellaneous showed poor patient recall. At 1 day interval, audio was found to have better recall than video and verbal in 5 PEM instruction categories. At 7 day interval, video showed better recall than other two groups (P≤0.05). Despite improvements in patients recall, DPI revealed better denture hygiene maintenance in patients receiving instructions through video format (P≤0.05). CONCLUSIONS For all categories, no single media was considered to be sufficient, audio produced early better recall while video influenced long term recall and better denture hygiene maintenance.