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Short-term effects of hygiene education for preschool (kindergarten) children: a clinical study
Christoph A Ramseier1, Isabelle Leiggener, Niklaus P Lang
1Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine, University of Michigan, 1011 N. University Avenue, Ann Arbor, Ml 48109-1078, USA. christoph.ramseier@swissonline.ch
Insights
A short, 15-minute oral hygiene education program significantly improved plaque control records in preschool children. This school-based intervention highlights the importance of early childhood oral health promotion.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Dentistry
- Public Health
- Health Education
Background:
- Preschool children require effective health education strategies.
- Assessing the impact of short educational interventions is crucial for public health initiatives.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the effectiveness of brief oral hygiene education versus hand hygiene education in preschool children.
- To evaluate the outcomes of these interventions four weeks post-education.
Main Methods:
- Sixty-one preschool children participated in a 15-minute health education program.
- Two groups received either oral hygiene or hand/nail hygiene instruction.
- Oral hygiene (plaque control record - PCR) and hand/nail hygiene (HHI, NHI) were assessed pre- and post-intervention.
Main Results:
- Overall PCR improved significantly (79.95% to 72.35%, p < 0.001) and NHI improved (74.91% to 61.71%, p < 0.001).
- Oral hygiene education showed a trend towards greater PCR improvement compared to hand hygiene.
- Girls demonstrated a significantly greater improvement in PCR than boys (p = 0.021).
Conclusions:
- Short, school-based educational interventions can significantly impact children's oral health promotion.
- Early education on oral hygiene is recommended for preschool children.
- Teachers play a vital role in implementing early oral hygiene education programs.
Aim:
To evaluate the outcomes of short (15 minutes) oral hygiene vs. hand hygiene education for preschool children 4 weeks after these interventions.
Materials And Methods:
Sixty-one preschool children (age range 4-6 years) attending four kindergarten classes participated in a 15-minute health education programme on the importance of body cleanliness for general health. In addition, specific instructions on oral hygiene were provided for two randomly selected classes (30 children), while the remaining two classes (31 children) were given instruction of hand and nail cleaning. The oral hygiene status was assessed usingthe plaque control record (PCR). The cleanliness of the hands and fingernails was determined using a hand hygiene index (HHI) and a nail hygiene index (NHI). All three parameters were assessed before the intervention as well as 4 weeks thereafter.
Results:
Four weeks after education, the PCR had improved for all children from 79.95% to 72.35% (p < 0.001). The NHI had improved from 74.91% to 61.71% (p < 0.001). In addition, the mean PCR of the children given oral hygiene instruction decreased from 83.67% to 72.40%, while the mean PCR of the children given hand and nail cleaning instruction decreased from 76.23% to 72.29% (interaction effect 'time x type of instruction': p = 0.044). Girls' PCR improved significantly more than boys' PCR (Girls, 80.98 vs. 69.71; boys, 78.33 vs. 75.31; p = 0.021).
Conclusions:
The results of the study show that even a short, school-based educational intervention at an early age may affect children's oral health promotion significantly. Teachers should, therefore, be encouraged to educate children from an early age about oral hygiene promotion.
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