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"Spontaneous" oral hygiene: a predictor for future preventive behavior?
1Department of Periodontology-School of Dental Surgery, Paris VII University, France.
Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology
|June 1, 1989
Summary
A patient's initial plaque index can predict their future oral hygiene compliance. Patients with lower initial plaque levels showed significant improvement after a hygiene program, unlike those with higher levels.
Area of Science:
- Periodontology
- Dental Hygiene
- Preventive Dentistry
Background:
- Assessing patient compliance in maintaining oral hygiene is crucial for periodontal health.
- Spontaneous hygiene levels may indicate future adherence to treatment protocols.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if a patient's baseline oral hygiene, measured by plaque index, predicts their ability to maintain hygiene post-treatment.
- To evaluate the correlation between initial plaque levels and improvement after a standardized hygiene program.
Main Methods:
- 147 periodontal patients' plaque indices were recorded before and after a hygiene program.
- Patients were classified into 10 groups based on their initial O'Leary's plaque index.
- An Improvement Coefficient (IC) was calculated to quantify hygiene changes.
Main Results:
- A significant difference in improvement was observed between patients with initial plaque indices below and above 50%.
- Patients with initial plaque indices <50% demonstrated noticeable improvement.
- Patients with initial plaque indices >50% showed minimal improvement.
Conclusions:
- Initial plaque index is correlated with the potential for improvement in oral hygiene.
- Pre-treatment plaque index serves as a reliable predictor of a patient's future compliance with hygiene recommendations.