An investigation into the response of subjects to a plaque control programme as influenced by friends and relatives

The aim of the present study was to assess the response of patients to a course of instruction in plaque control as influenced by friends and relatives. The subjects in the study were 41 patients who had been referred to a dental hospital for treatment. There was a major reduction in plaque and gingivitis levels in the subjects at both the 10th and 14th weeks of the study. There was a greater proportional reduction in gingivitis levels in those subjects who had a higher number of reported discussions with their friends. The effect of discussions with members of the family was less clear. Lower values for gingivitis levels at 10 weeks were associated with a higher number of discussions with parents. However the levels of gingivitis tended to be adversely affected by discussions between the subjects and their spouses. The importance of recognising the influence of family and friendship networks needs to be understood when preventive programmes are designed, especially where high levels of self-care are sought as outcomes. Further work is in progress on a group of office workers being treated in a dental practice environment. This will allow the type of advice being obtained from the various contacts to be investigated in more detail.