Holloway J A, Davies M, McCarthy C, Khan I, Claydon N C A, West N X. Randomised controlled trial demonstrating the impact of behaviour change intervention provided by dental professionals to improve gingival health. J Dent 2021; doi: 10.1016/j.jdent.2021.103862. Online ahead of print.

Behaviour change techniques should be routinely considered in patient care.

This study aimed to determine impact of oral hygiene behaviour change intervention compared to the prevailing standard of oral hygiene advice provided in general dental practice, on bleeding on probing (BOP) in gingivitis patients, over three months. The effect of providing power-brushes was also evaluated. NHS dental practices were cluster-randomised to intervention or control (2:1). Dentists at intervention sites received behaviour modification training. Participants were stratified to high (≥20% BOP) or low (<20% BOP) presence of gingivitis and a subset assigned a power-brush. A total of 538 participants completed the study. BOP reduced in both gingivitis groups with significantly greater reduction in intervention compared to control group. A highly significant reduction in BOP was demonstrated for volunteers who swapped from manual to power-brush. Plaque score improved more in the control than intervention group.