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The Scientific Approach to Effective Oral Hygiene Instruction. G. Todd Smith, DDS, MSD IHS Periodontal Consultant. The Problem:. Less than half of all patients clean their teeth as you ask them to do. Most people feel their OH is good!. Question:.
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The Scientific Approach to Effective Oral Hygiene Instruction G. Todd Smith, DDS, MSD IHS Periodontal Consultant
The Problem: • Less than half of all patients clean their teeth as you ask them to do. • Most people feel their OH is good!
Question: • Can patients become unexpectedly motivated to better oral hygiene? • Can we tell up front who these patients are?
The Big Question: How can we help modify our patient’s behavior to improve compliance / oral hygiene?
Factors determining behavior change: • Predisposing factors: relate to the motivation to act or change • Knowledge • Beliefs • Attitudes
Important patient knowledge: • Is his/her oral health in jeopardy? • How severe is the gum disease? • Is the patient susceptible to advanced gum disease and tooth loss? • Does the gum disease pose a threat for systemic illness?
Knowledge is a necessary but not sufficient factor in changing health behavior
Factors determining behavior change: • Reinforcing factors: Determine whether improved oral hygiene is supported by: • Family • Peers • Dental Staff
Factors determining behavior change: • Enabling factors: skills and resources necessary to perform oral hygiene: • Dexterity • Availability of dental resources • Accessibility of dental resources
Improve Patients’ Adherence to a Daily OH Regimen: • Simplify language and recommendations • Modify OHI to accommodate patients’ specific abilities, motivations, and lifestyles • Provide written copies of recommendations • Provide positive feedback and reinforcement • Identify potential noncompliers and discuss consequences of noncompliance/nonadherence before therapy begins. • Assess attitude. From Wilson
Health Belief Model For behavior change to occur, the person must: • Believe his or health is in jeopardy • Understand the potential seriousness (i.e. periodontitis, tooth loss) • Benefits of health behavior can be achieved • Benefits must outweigh the costs or obstacles (eg fear, economics, and time) • There must be a cue to take action Hochlau
The cue to take action: • Bad Breath • Tooth loss and poor esthetics • Chewing and taste • Pain and abscess • Poor systemic health
Show them the signs of gum disease intra-orally: • Red and swollen • Bleeding upon probing, brushing, or flossing • Loose or separating teeth • Recession • Pus
Social Learning Theory: We learn new behaviors through: • Visualization • Modeling • Skill training • Self assessment
Social Learning Theory: We learn new behaviors through: • Visualization • Modeling • Skill training • Self assessment
Oral Hygiene Aids • Toothbrushes • Floss and floss holders • Interproximal brushes • Rubber Tip • Wooden wedges and toothpicks • Oral irrigators
Plaque Assessment • Dry the teeth • Paint on or swish disclosing agent • Rinse twice • Count the surfaces with plaque and divide by the total possible surfaces.
Social Learning Theory: We learn new behaviors through: • Visualization • Modeling • Skill training • Self assessment
Are electric toothbrushes better? • Cochran Oral Health Group 2003-comprehensive independent review. • Rotational/oscillation type brushes more effective than manual and other powered brushes. • Powered Brush better than manual brush. Nanning 2008
Flossing with 3rd finger wrap Up & down motion, wrap around, fingers close, and floss two sides
Waxed or unwaxed? • 4 of 5 prefer waxed or lightly waxed • No difference in effectiveness between an unwaxed, woven, or shred resistant floss. Powered flosser best… Terezhalmy 2008
Are floss holders preferred over manual flossing? • 50% of nonflossers started regular flossing • 85% still using after 6 months. • 15% preferred manual floss Kleber 1990
WaterPik Flosser Disposable Sword Flossers For those having difficulty flossing: