Appropriate oral hygiene motivation method for patients with fixed appliances.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the most appropriate oral hygiene motivation method (OHMM) for orthodontic patients with fixed appliances.


METHODS
A total of 150 orthodontic patients, scheduled for their regular controls, were included in this study. The patients were divided into five groups (n = 30) according to the verbal OHMM and instructed as follows: only verbal information (V), verbal information with demonstration on model (M), verbal information with demonstration on model and self application by the patient (M+A), verbal information using the illustration catalog (I), and verbal information using the illustration catalog and self application by the patient (I+A). All of the applications of the patients were made under the supervision of the clinicians. The periodontal parameters (plaque index [PI], gingival index [GI], and bleeding on probing [BOP]) were recorded at the baseline (before the instructions of the OHMM), 1 week later, and 4 weeks after the OHMM.


RESULTS
All periodontal parameters showed significant decreases after 4 weeks in all OHMM groups (P < .05). I+A group has significantly lower PI scores and BOP percentages than the other groups (P < .05) after 4 weeks. The difference between the V group and M+A, I, and I+A groups in the GI scores were significant (P < .05), and the I+A group has presented the lowest GI score.


CONCLUSIONS
The OHMM applied by the patients under the supervision of the clinician seemed to be more successful in the elimination of plaque and inflammatory symptoms in patients with fixed appliances.
Ay
Zuhal Yetkin
ZY
Department of Periodontology, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Suleyman Demirel, Isparta, Turkey.
Sayin
M Ozgür
MO
Ozat
Yener
Y
Goster
Tuba
T
Atilla
A Onur
AO
Bozkurt
F Yeşim
FY
D000293:Adolescent; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006267:Health Education, Dental / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D009910:Oral Hygiene / Q000523:psychology*; D009971:Orthodontics, Corrective / Q000295:instrumentation*