Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Summary Review
  • Published:

Could behavioural intervention improve oral hygiene in adolescents?

Evidence-Based Dentistry volume 23, pages 76–77 (2022)Cite this article

Abstract

Design Quasi-randomised controlled trial.

Case selection Study participants (312; test: 158, control: 154) were conveniently selected based on age (16-17 years old), marginal gingival bleeding index or plaque index of 50% or more and good command of the Swedish language.

Data analysis Measuring study outcomes was dichotomous. Marginal gingival bleeding and plaque were either present (1) or absent (2) at four sites on each tooth. Bleeding index and plaque index were presented as a percentage.

Results By the end of the study, only 274 patients showed up for the six-month follow-up (test: 128, control: 146). Both groups showed improvement compared to baseline, although the test group showed significantly higher improvement than the control group.

Conclusions A person-centred and theory-based behavioural programme was found to be more effective than conventional programmes in improving oral hygiene habits in adolescents.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Bandura A. Health promotion by social cognitive means. Health Educ Behav 2004; 31: 143-164.

  2. Miller W R, Rollnick S. Motivational interviewing: Helping people change. New York: The Guilford Press, 2013.

  3. Ainamo J, Bay I. Problems and proposals for recording gingivitis and plaque. Int Dent J 197; 25: 229-235.

  4. O'Leary T J, Drake R B, Naylor J E. The plaque control record. J Periodontol 1972; 43: 38.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Professor of Dental Public Health, Department of Preventive Dental Sciences, College of Dentistry, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia

    Asim Al-Ansari

Authors
  1. Asim Al-Ansari
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Ethics declarations

The author declares no conflict of interest.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Al-Ansari, A. Could behavioural intervention improve oral hygiene in adolescents?. Evid Based Dent 23, 76–77 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41432-022-0267-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41432-022-0267-6

Search

Advanced search

Quick links