Supervised Brushing Programme for Intellectual Disabled Students

Supervised Toothbrushing Programme and Oral Health Education for Intellectual Disabled Students: A Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial

Intellectual disabled persons faced more dental problems. According to a medical review paper of international and local studies, this group has poorer dental hygiene, more severe gum disease and more untreated caries. In 2010, a report from the guardians in Hong Kong mentioned that most adults with intellectual disability cannot clean their teeth, the have dental problems and it is very difficult for intellectually disabled students to co-operate during the dental treatment. In order to alleviate their dental problems, supervised toothbrushing programme and an oral health education talk are proposed. The investigators investigate the effectiveness of the supervised toothbrushing programme and an oral health education talk. The target group of the study is mild to moderate grade intellectual disabled students of special schools in Hong Kong. A clustered randomised controlled trial design is adopted.

Intellectual disabled persons faced more dental problems. According to a medical review paper of international and local studies, this group has poorer dental hygiene, more severe gum disease and more untreated caries. In 2010, a report from the guardians in Hong Kong mentioned that most adults with intellectual disability cannot clean their teeth, the have dental problems and it is very difficult for intellectually disabled students to co-operate during the dental treatment. In order to alleviate their dental problems, supervised toothbrushing programme and an oral health education talk are proposed. The investigators investigate the effectiveness of the supervised toothbrushing programme and an oral health education talk. The target group of the study is mild to moderate grade intellectual disabled students of special schools in Hong Kong. A clustered randomised controlled trial design is adopted.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Mild and moderate grade intellectual disabled students in special schools.

Exclusion Criteria:

• 1. Those students who have simultaneously joined other oral health programme during the study period.
• 2. Those students with the presence of conditions rendering a need of antibiotic prophylaxis prior to periodontal examination e.g. rheumatic heart disease.
• 3. Uncooperative students that oral examination is not possible.