Does oral health counseling effectively improve oral hygiene of orthodontic patients?

Abstract

Aim: The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of oral health counseling sessions with traditional oral hygiene education in orthodontic patients with fixed appliances.

Study design: randomised control trial with experimental and control group. A group of 99 adolescents with fixed orthodontic appliances were randomly assigned to oral health counseling (experimental) or traditional health education (control) group. Subjects in the control group received verbal instructions and a demonstration of the modified Bass brushing technique on a model. The experimental group also received the verbal information with demonstration on the model and in addition a personalised 40-minutes counseling session on oral hygiene. Plaque Index (PI) and gingivitis (G) were recorded before, 1 and 6 months after the counseling session/traditional education.

Results: Oral health counseling and traditional education improved the oral hygiene of orthodontic patients. PI values were significantly lower after 6 months compared to the baseline in both groups, but the prevalence of gingival inflammation remained significantly lower only in the experimental group.

Conclusion: Oral health counseling increased plaque removal efficacy and control of gingival inflammation. The efficiency of counseling and traditional education was similar. Counseling is a promising approach that warrants further attention in a variety of dental contexts.