Innovative interventions to promote positive dental health behaviors and prevent dental caries in preschool children: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Abstract Background: Dental caries is a multifactorial disease which starts with microbiological shift within the complex biofilm and is affected by salivary flow and its composition, exposure to fluoride, consumption of dietary sugars, and by preventive behaviors (cleaning teeth). Topical application of fluoride varnish on the tooth surface prevent the dissolution rates of tooth materials and increase the re-precipitation of lost minerals. The objective of the present study was to assess the effectiveness of fluoride varnish application in primary dentition among preschool children at high risk of dental caries. Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted with two parallel group, comprising 3-5 year old children, 100 in each group (Fluoride varnish/FV or Placebo varnish/PV). Oral examination of children was performed using mouth mirror and WHO probe. Dental caries was recorded at baseline, three and six months using Caries Assessment and Treatment Instrument (CAST) scoring system. Analysis was done using chi-square test for categorical data, Mann-Whitney U test, independent t test and Wilcoxon Signed Ranks test for quantitative data. The level of significance was set at p<0.05. Results: Overall, dental caries progression from baseline to 3 month and 6 month was more in PV group children than FV (38.98% and 31.3% respectively). At the end of the study, the overall caries incidence was 28.24%. The proportion of children with new caries lesions was more in PV group than that in the FV group at every three months interval. The difference between the groups were statistically significant (p<0.05). FV treatment once in six months had better treatment effect with preventive fraction of 62.1% in comparison to three months (59.0%). Conclusion: Dental caries can be prevented effectively by use of 5% sodium fluoride varnish. It is efficacious when applied twice a year in children at high risk of dental caries. Trial Registration: CTRI/2016/02/006659 (Reg. date: 18/02/2016) Trial Registered Retrospectively Key Words: Dental caries, Fluoride varnish, Primary dentition, Randomized controlled trial

Download Full-text

Motor-enriched learning for improving pre-reading and word recognition skills in preschool children aged 5–6 years – study protocol for the PLAYMORE randomized controlled trial

BMC Pediatrics ◽

10.1186/s12887-020-02430-0 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Anne Kær Gejl ◽

Anne Sofie Bøgh Malling ◽

Linn Damsgaard ◽

Anne-Mette Veber-Nielsen ◽

Jacob Wienecke

Keyword(s):

Randomized Controlled Trial ◽

Preschool Children ◽

Word Recognition ◽

Study Protocol ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Whole Body ◽

Hand Movements ◽

Body Movements ◽

Randomized Controlled ◽

Bodily Movement

Abstract Background Results from previous studies suggest that bodily movements, spanning from gestures to whole-body movements, integrated into academic lessons may benefit academic learning. However, only few studies have investigated the effects of movement integrated into reading practice. The PLAYMORE study aims to investigate the effects of two interventions focusing on a close and meaningful coupling between bodily movement and academic content on early pre-reading and word recognition skills in children. Further, the study aims to compare two interventions involving either hand movements (i.e. using arms and hands) or whole-body movements (i.e. using the whole body). Potential mediating factors underlying the link between bodily movement on early pre-reading and word recognition skills will be explored. Methods/design The PLAYMORE study will be conducted as a three-armed randomized controlled trial including children aged five to six years recruited from four schools in the Copenhagen area, Denmark. Stratified by class, children will be randomly allocated to one of three 8-week intervention/control periods: 1) teaching involving whole-body movements, 2) teaching involving hand movements (i.e. arms and hands) or 3) teaching involving minimal motor movements (i.e. seated on a chair using paper and pencil). Outcome measurements, including pre-reading and word recognition skills, will be collected before and after the intervention period to assess the intervention effects. This study protocol follows the SPIRIT guidelines. Discussion The PLAYMORE study will add to the current knowledge concerning the link between bodily movement and academic performance with important details about pre-reading and word recognition skills in preschool children. If effective, evaluation of the implementation of the PLAYMORE program should be conducted in order to investigate whether the effects can be transferred into standard school settings. The PLAYMORE study will lay the foundation for future research that have the potential to inform the political and scientific debate and importantly, to provide teachers with detailed information of how to implement movements effectively during teaching in order to support and motivate children in the process of learning to read. Trial registration The study was retrospectively registered in ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04618822) the 5th of November 2020.

Download Full-text