[Effect of repeated toothbrushing instructions on periodontal health in a community]

This study was conducted to compare the effect of frequency of toothbrushing instruction using the Toothpick Method in a community periodontal health program. Two courses, one consisting of three monthly toothbrushing instructions and the other a single instruction session, were given to residents in a small town. Thirty-one subjects (mean age; 48.7 +/- 9.2) in the three-time instruction course and 40 subjects (mean age; 55.2 +/- 8.3) in the single instruction course participated in dental examinations. During the first visit, the subjects of the both groups attended a class for dental health education, and observed their dental plaque using a phase contrast microscope, and the condition of their teeth and periodontal tissue was recorded. They were instructed to brush their teeth by the Toothpick Method. After 1 year, the subjects of the both groups were examined and required to fill out a questionnaire. The percentage of sites with gingival redness and swelling significantly decreased after 1 month, 2 months and 1 year in the three-time instruction group. In the single instruction group, however, gingival redness and swelling did not change after 1 year. The percentage of sites with bleeding on probing significantly decreased in the both groups. The improvement ratio for the CPITN code was higher in the three-time instruction group than the other. The questionnaire showed that subjects in the three-time instruction group brushed their teeth more actively, and were more satisfied with the program than those in the single instruction group. These results show that the three-time instruction course was more effective than the single instruction course.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)