| ARTICLE |
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| Year : 2008 | Volume
: 6
| Issue : 11 | Page : 22-29 |
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Effect of various methods of oral health education on oral health knowledge and oral health status of high school children in Gadag town - A randomized control trial
G Rajesh1, K.V.V. Prasad1, Vikranth Ranjan Mohanty2, SB Javali1
1 Department of Public Health Dentistry, SDM College of Dental Sciences & Hospital Sattur, Dharwad - 580 009, Karnataka, India
2 Department of Public Health Dentistry, Sinhgad Dental College and Hosptial, S. No. 44/1, STES Campus, Off Sinhgad Road, Vadagaon (Budruk), Pune- 411 041, Maharashtra, India
Correspondence Address:
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
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Introduction: Due to dearth of resources and from dental public health point of view, one has to identify more effective methods of oral health education.
Objective: To assess effect of various methods of oral health education on oral health knowledge and oral health status of high school children in Gadag town.
Methodology: 880 study subjects aged 13-15 yrs from 6 schools were randomly allocated to 6 groups, which were: health talk, health talk with charts and models, computer method, pamphlets, exhibition and control groups respectively. Their oral health knowledge was assessed by questionnaire and oral health status was assessed by plaque index (Silness and Loe) and gingival index (Loe and Silness) before and after oral health education.
Results: Baseline mean oral health knowledge scores in groups I to VI were 7.54, 7.46, 7.58, 7.57,7.47 & 7.44 respectively; baseline mean plaque index scores in groups I to VI were 1.08, 1.02, 1.10, 1.08, 1.09 & 1.07 respectively and baseline mean gingival index scores in groups I to VI were 0.94, 0.87, 0.90, 0.95, 0.96 & 0.89 respectively. Mean oral health knowledge scores increased in groups I to VI by 2.87, 3.37, 4.34, 1.83, 1.88 and 0.06 respectively. Mean change in plaque index scores in groups I to VI were
0.10, -0.13, -0.20, 0.04, 0.14 & 0.22 respectively; and mean change in gingival index scores in groups I to VI 0.12, -0.11, -0.16, 0.05, 0.11 & 0.27 respectively.
Conclusions: Computer method was most effective method in improving oral health knowledge; only computer method and charts-models improved their plaque and gingival status. |
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