Hongmin Lai1,2,3,4, Jean Ching-Yuan Fann5, Amy Ming-Fang Yen3, Li-Sheng Chen3, Min-Hua Lai4, Sherry Yueh-Hsia Chiu6. 1. Department of Dentistry, Shuang-Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City, Taiwan. 2. School of Dentistry, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan. 3. School of Dentistry, College of Oral Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan. 4. Taiwan Dental Health Care Organization, Taipei, Taiwan. 5. Department of Health Industry Management, Kainan University, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan. 6. Department of Health Care Management, College of Management, Chang Gung University, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term effectiveness of a school-based child oral hygiene program on oral heath after approximately 10 years of follow-up. METHODS: A prospective cohort study was designed to include 120 schoolchildren aged 10-11 years with instructions on how to practice daily flossing and brushing under the supervision of school nurses for one semester (the intervention group) and to recruit a comparison group with no intervention from 120 classmates matched by gender (the nonintervention group). Both groups participated in a questionnaire survey and received dental examinations after long-term follow-up. RESULTS: The mean value of overall plaque score in the intervention group (16.9%) was lower than that of the nonintervention group (32.6%); the adjusted relative risk (aRR) of having a plaque score for the intervention group versus the nonintervention group was 0.4 (95% CI: 0.3, 0.5). The percentage of pocketing (CPI ≧ 2) in the intervention group (75.0%) was lower than that of the nonintervention group (90.8%); the aRR of having calculus or pocketing (CPI ≧ 2) was 0.3 (95% CI: 0.1, 0.6). The intervention group had lower DMFT values and DMFS score than the nonintervention group (4.1 and 6.6 versus 6.2 and 11.0). Moreover, the intervention group had significantly better dental knowledge and habits and dental conditions than the nonintervention group. CONCLUSIONS: This longitudinal follow-up study demonstrated that a highly targeted oral hygiene program can display positive long-term effectiveness.
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term effectiveness of a school-based child oral hygiene program on oral heath after approximately 10 years of follow-up. METHODS: A prospective cohort study was designed to include 120 schoolchildren aged 10-11 years with instructions on how to practice daily flossing and brushing under the supervision of school nurses for one semester (the intervention group) and to recruit a comparison group with no intervention from 120 classmates matched by gender (the nonintervention group). Both groups participated in a questionnaire survey and received dental examinations after long-term follow-up. RESULTS: The mean value of overall plaque score in the intervention group (16.9%) was lower than that of the nonintervention group (32.6%); the adjusted relative risk (aRR) of having a plaque score for the intervention group versus the nonintervention group was 0.4 (95% CI: 0.3, 0.5). The percentage of pocketing (CPI ≧ 2) in the intervention group (75.0%) was lower than that of the nonintervention group (90.8%); the aRR of having calculus or pocketing (CPI ≧ 2) was 0.3 (95% CI: 0.1, 0.6). The intervention group had lower DMFT values and DMFS score than the nonintervention group (4.1 and 6.6 versus 6.2 and 11.0). Moreover, the intervention group had significantly better dental knowledge and habits and dental conditions than the nonintervention group. CONCLUSIONS: This longitudinal follow-up study demonstrated that a highly targeted oral hygiene program can display positive long-term effectiveness.
Authors: Peter Akera; Sean E Kennedy; Raghu Lingam; Mark J Obwolo; Aletta E Schutte; Robyn Richmond Journal: BMC Oral Health Date: 2022-06-29 Impact factor: 3.747