Effect of three different dental health preventive programmes on young adult individuals: a randomized, blinded, parallel group, controlled evaluation of oral hygiene behaviour on plaque and gingivitis.

AIM: To evaluate, in young adults, the effect of different preventive programmes on oral hygiene and to determine whether the variables investigated are predictors of gingival health. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This randomized, blinded, parallel, controlled clinical study examined the effectiveness of three dental health programmes. Four hundred subjects aged 20-27 years, 211 males and 189 females, participated in the study. They were recruited from a Public Dental Service clinic and from a private dental practice in Jönköping, Sweden. The effect of the programmes on plaque and gingivitis was evaluated over a 3-year period. The programmes included activities that were adapted for individuals as well as for groups. The plaque indices (PLI) and gingival indices (GI) were used to evaluate the programmes. RESULTS: All programmes resulted in a decrease in PLI and GI. The greatest decrease was found in the group that was followed-up every 2 months. Professional tooth cleaning was non-significant for the clinical result. Gingival health at baseline, participation in any of the test programmes, and knowledge of the dental diseases caries, gingivitis or periodontitis were significant predictors of good gingival health. CONCLUSIONS: The study confirms the efficacy of three different preventive programmes in reducing supragingival plaque and gingival inflammation. Professional tooth cleaning provided no clinical benefit beyond that derived from individual and group-based health education.

The effect of different dental health programmes on young adult individuals. A longitudinal evaluation of knowledge and behaviour including cost aspects.

The goal of this study was to report the long-term effect of different dental health programmes on young adult individuals' knowledge and behaviour relative to oral health. Over a 3 years period, the effect of three different dental health programmes on caries, gingivitis/periodontitis, and knowledge and behaviour concerning oral health in 400 Swedish young adults was evaluated. During the following 2 years, additional prophylactic measures--now based on the individual's symptoms and the prophylaxis previously received--were conducted and evaluated. Five years later still one follow-up was made. The evaluations were based on clinical and radiographic examinations and on a questionnaire survey whose purpose was to study the short- and long-term effects of the different preventive measures, including cost aspects. At the end of the 3 years period, the three test groups exhibited better knowledge and significantly improved behaviour compared with the control group concerning approximal cleaning, from approximately 50% of the individuals at the baseline examination to approximately 90% at the end of the period. Improvement was observed as early as the first year. There were no differences between the test groups. The intensified, individual-related prophylaxis carried out in the following 2 years did not significantly increase knowledge in the test groups; a significant increase in approximal cleaning, however, was found in the control group during this time. At the 10-year follow-up, the individuals' knowledge was undiminished while behaviour concerning approximal cleaning had sunk from 90% to approximately 70% of the individuals. A slight behavioural change concerning number of snacks was found in the course of the study with a shift towards fewer snacks per day. In conclusion, it can be said that simple prophylactic models have an effect on and maintain young adult individuals' knowledge and behaviour concerning oral health and that new knowledge is remembered for long periods of time while changes in behaviour are maintained less well. Moreover, it was found that the scope of the prophylactic programme measured in time and cost had little effect on the long-term result.