Oral hygiene instruction of adults by means of a self‐instructional manual

Abstract

The need for improved oral cleanliness in adults presents a large scale resource requirement for professional manpower if oral hygiene instruction is to be accomplished conventionally on an individual basis at the chairside. Therefore a self-instructional manual in oral hygiene measures, to be used by the patients at home, has been designed. The effect on oral hygiene of periodontal patients following instruction by means of this manual has been compared with the effect of one instruction carried out by a dental hygienist as well as with the effect of minimal instruction by the aid of a short brochure. Thirty-seven patients (25--64 years of age) were allocated to three groups matched with regard to baseline scores of dento-gingival plaque, age and sex. Presence of disclosed dento-gingival plaque (Plak-lite) and gingival bleeding on probing were recorded at the start, 1, 2 and 6 weeks, 3 and 6 months. Toothbrushing performance of the patients was evaluated at each visit by a "brushing test". The treatment of all the patients consisted of scaling and polishing of the teeth at the start and after 3 months as well as the patients being supplied with the necessary oral hygiene aids including a lighted mouth mirror, a toothbrush, toothpicks and disclosing tablets. The baseline mean plaque and bleeding scores of 64 and 40% decreased during the first 6 weeks to a level of 20 and 14%. This improvement was maintained during the 6-month study period. Among the three groups no significant differences were observed in oral hygiene and gingival health. The results indicate that an oral hygiene instructional mode relatively independent of professional manpower may be equally effective as one single personal instruction. Furthermore the results suggest that factors other than the instruction per se are important for obtaining improvements in oral home care.

Evaluation of knowledge and plaque scores in school children before and after health education

“…The maintenance of improved gingival health over longer periods requires prolonged, repeated instruction by professionals. The findings from this study were consistent with the results reported in other studies carried out in western communities by Glavind et al ,[19] Hetland et al ,[20] Soderholm et al . [21]…”

Comparison of Interdental Cleaning Methods: A Randomized Controlled Trial

“…Although the practice and theory of oral health promotion have evolved, there is a shortage of quality interventions relating to oral health education after the early 1980s 5‐9 . In periodontal patients, where there is ineffective plaque removal from certain areas of the mouth, it is not surprising that these are the areas where probing depths (PDs) are often the deepest, 10,11 typically palatal, lingual, and interdental areas.…”

Oral cleanliness and gingival health following oral hygiene instruction by selfed‐educational programs

“…The status of gingival health of the patients was assessed by recording the presence or absence of bleeding by gentle probing of the gingival pocket at the mesial, buccal, distal and lingual surfaces of all teeth. Instruction of the patients in oral hygiene procedures was delivered by handing out a self-instructional manual in oral hygiene and an oral hygiene kit containing a toothbrush, toothpicks, disclosing tablets, an interdental brush and a lighted mouth mirror for home-use (Glavind et al, 1981), The instruction was given to the patients of the selfexamination group (Se) and the control group (Co) at the 2-week visit, whereas the patients of the delayed instruction group (De) did not receive the instruction before the 6-week visit (Fig, 1), At the 3-month visit, all patients were asked to demonstrate their handling of toothpicks and toothbrush. Scoring of gingival bleeding was made at the start of the study and after 6 weeks and 3 months (Fig, 1), Active treatment phase Information.…”

“…A self-instructional manual describing how to perform proper oral home care was also produced and evaluated (Glavind et al, 1981), By the use of this manual, the patients achieved a significant improvement in oral cleanliness and gingival health.…”