Health, Oral
Conditions
Brief summary
Schools provide an ideal setting for early interventions. Evidence suggests that educational programs incorporating behavioural change theories can improve oral hygiene practices and clinical outcomes. A School-Based Oral Health Promotion Program on Oral Health Practices, Behaviour, Self-Efficacy, and Clinical Outcomes Among Primary School Children for six months, while the control group will receive no intervention, only routine care.
Detailed description
Poor oral health in children leads to pain, absenteeism, and impaired quality of life. Schools provide an ideal setting for early interventions. Evidence suggests that educational programs incorporating behavioural change theories can improve oral hygiene practices and clinical outcomes. A School-Based Oral Health Promotion Program on Oral Health Practices, Behaviour, Self-Efficacy, and Clinical Outcomes Among Primary School. The oral health promotion intervention will be implemented through weekly interactive sessions lasting 30-40 minutes over six months. These sessions, conducted by trained dental educators and teachers, will use animations, storytelling, demonstrations, and role-plays to teach proper toothbrushing, the importance of fluoride toothpaste, healthy eating habits, and the need for regular dental visits. Children will participate in supervised toothbrushing once a week, supported by peer ambassadors who reinforce daily practices. Educational leaflets and videos will engage parents, while posters in classrooms serve as reminders. Follow-up assessments, including questionnaires and clinical indices, will be conducted at six months, while the control group will receive no intervention, only routine care.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALSchool-Based Oral Health Promotion Program
Arm Description: The oral health promotion intervention will be implemented through weekly interactive sessions lasting 30-40 minutes over a period of six months. These sessions, conducted by trained dental educators and teachers, will use animations, storytelling, demonstrations, and role-plays to teach proper toothbrushing, the importance of fluoride toothpaste, healthy eating habits, and the need for regular dental visits. Children will participate in supervised toothbrushing once a week, supported by peer ambassadors who reinforce daily practices. Educational leaflets and videos will engage parents, while posters in classrooms serve as reminders. Follow-up assessments, including questionnaires and clinical indices, will be conducted at six months.
Sponsors
Universiti Putra Malaysia
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH
Masking
DOUBLE (Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
Masking description
Investigators and outcome assessors will be blinded
Intervention model description
It is two arm randomized control trial
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
6 Years to 8 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Children aged 6-8 years enrolled in selected schools * Written informed consent from parents/guardians and assent from children
Exclusion criteria
* Children with systemic conditions affecting oral health * Those currently in other oral health interventions
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Plaque score | 6 months | Plaque score index: 0: No plaque. 1. Separate flecks of plaque at the gum line. 2. A thin band of plaque along the gum line. 3. A band of plaque wider than 1mm but covering less than one-third of the tooth. 4. Plaque covering one-third to two-thirds of the tooth. 5. Plaque covering more than two-thirds of the tooth. Higher scores indicate more plaque and poorer oral hygiene. |
| Oral Hygiene | 6-months | Oral Hygiene will be assessed by the presence of debris (plaque) and calculus (tartar) on selected tooth surfaces, measured by the Simplified Oral Hygiene Index (OHI-S) Individual Debris Index (DI-S) and Calculus Index (CI-S): Each of the six surfaces is scored individually for both debris and calculus using a 0-3 scale: 0: No debris or calculus is present. 1. Debris or calculus covers less than one-third of the surface. 2. Debris or calculus covers between one-third and two-thirds of the surface. 3. Debris or calculus covers more than two-thirds of the surface. Good: 0.0 - 1.2 Fair: 1.3 - 3.0 Poor: 3.1 - 6.0 |
| Gingival score | 6 months | Gingival score assessed by the gingival score index: 0: Normal gingiva, no inflammation. 1. Mild inflammation - slight color change and edema (swelling), no bleeding on probing. 2. Moderate inflammation - redness, edema, glazing, and bleeding on probing. 3. Severe inflammation - marked redness, edema, ulceration, and tendency towards spontaneous bleeding. The index typically uses a scale of 0 to 3, with 0 representing normal gingiva and higher scores indicating increasing severity of inflammation |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| oral health practices | 6 months | Oral health practices by using the WHO Child Oral Health Questionnaire: o assess children's oral health practices through a structured set of questions. These questionnaires typically cover knowledge, attitude, and practices related to oral hygiene, including frequency of brushing, use of fluoride toothpaste, and dental visits. The score is used to evaluate the overall oral health practices of the child, often categorized as good, fair, or poor. |
| Oral Health Impact Profile. | 6 months | Oral Health Impact Profile. The Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP) is a questionnaire used to assess how oral health problems affect a person's daily life and well-being. The OHIP-14, a shorter version, is commonly used and focuses on 14 specific questions related to oral health impacts 0 = Never 1. = Hardly ever 2. = Occasionally 3. = Fairly often 4. = Very often Greater score shows better impact andvice versa |
Countries
Pakistan
Contacts
Primary ContactDr. Mehwish Raheem, MBBS, MPH
Backup ContactMuhammad Arshed, MBBS, MPH,PhD
Outcome results
None listed