Intervention Study of Oral Health Education Programs Directed to Adolescents

A Randomized Clinical Field Study on Behavioral Interventions to Increase Adolescent's Motivation for Self Performed Periodontal Infection Control

This study evaluates behavioral interventions to increase adolescent's motivation for self performed periodontal infection control, by means of adequate oral hygiene. Study subjects will be allocated to test and control group where the test will be subjected to an individually tailored oral health education program, based on cognitive- behavioral theory and principles, and the control to standard educational intervention.

The prevalence of chronic periodontitis is about 40% among the Swedish adult population. The key-factor for the prevention of periodontal disease progression is the establishment of periodontal infection control, by means of adequate daily oral hygiene. Hence, a main task for dental professionals is to educate and motivate the patient to such beneficial behavior. A hypothesis for the current study is that patient centered health promotion programs based on cognitive behavioral theory and principles and with a directive communicative approach, i.e. motivational interviewing techniques, add positive and lasting effects to standard educational interventions on self-performed periodontal infection control.

This randomized clinical field study involves 30 professionals (dental hygienists) and about 350 adolescent patients at 16 dental clinics in the Västra Götaland Region, Sweden. The approach in the evaluation is on patient-centered outcomes and health economics.

Inclusion Criteria:

• 16 or 17 years old at inclusion
• poor oral hygiene conditions (dental plaque and/or marginal gingival bleeding at >50% of tooth surfaces) at the time of examination and thus considered to be at increased risk for oral/periodontal disease progression.

Exclusion Criteria:

• compromised medical or mental conditions that may requiring special care.