title: Reduction in dental plaque in patients with mental disorders through the dental hygiene care programme.
abstract: 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.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine and Institute of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju, Korea; Department of Dental Hygiene, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju, Korea.
authors.forename: S-J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Mun
authors.forename: W-G
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: S-H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Min
authors.forename: J-K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: C-B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: N-H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: H-Y
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.forename: S-J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Chang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001296:Audiovisual Aids; D003730:Dental Care for Persons with Disabilities; D003732:Dental Caries Activity Tests; D003742:Dental Devices, Home Care; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003774:Dental Plaque Index; D003777:Dental Prophylaxis / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment; D009910:Oral Hygiene / Q000193:education; D010174:Pamphlets; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism; D014099:Toothbrushing / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014741:Video Recording; D014987:Xerostomia / Q000145:classification; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: dental hygiene care; mental illness; oral health; plaque index