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Reduction in dental plaque in patients with mental disorders through the dental hygiene care programme
Author(s) -
Mun SJ,
Chung WG,
Min SH,
Park JK,
Kim CB,
Kim NH,
Seo HY,
Chang SJ
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
international journal of dental hygiene
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.674
H-Index - 38
eISSN - 1601-5037
pISSN - 1601-5029
DOI - 10.1111/idh.12053
Subject(s) - medicine , oral hygiene , saliva , dentistry , dental hygiene , dental care , dental plaque
Objective To develop a dental hygiene care programme based on the specific needs of patients with mental disorders and to suggest practical guidelines to improve the oral health care of these patients. Methods A total of 73 patients with mental illness participated in the study. The patients were randomly classified into three groups and followed over 12 weeks at 4‐week intervals. A newly designed dental hygiene care programme using flash‐based video, brochures and a toothpick method was implemented by five dental hygienists. Plaque index, stimulated saliva, subjective oral dryness and dental caries activity were analysed as outcome variables. Results Results showed that the dental plaque index significantly decreased after each session ( P < 0.0001) in all three groups, and significant differences were found between groups ( P = 0.036). Patients’ oral dryness decreased significantly, but stimulated saliva and dental caries activity did not improve. Conclusion The results of this study suggest that the dental hygiene care programme, which made use of a short, 10‐min flash‐based video and brochures every 4 weeks, was effective in reducing the dental plaque index of patients with mental disorders.