Oral hygiene compliance in orthodontic patients: a randomized controlled study on the effects of a post-treatment communication

ABSTRACTObjective:To determine whether automated text messages sent daily to adolescent orthodontic patients improves oral hygiene more than weekly reminders.Materials and Methods:A blinded, prospective, randomized controlled trial was designed to evaluate the effects of automated messages on oral hygiene. Subjects were recruited from patients undergoing orthodontic treatment at the Texas A&M University College of Dentistry, Department of Orthodontics. They were being treated with a variety of fixed full appliances in both arches. Subjects were randomly assigned to either a once-a-week text message group or a daily text message group. There were 52 females and 27 males who were 12 to 17 years of age. Oral hygiene was measured at the beginning of the study and again 8.6 ± 0.9 weeks later.Results:The daily reminder group (N = 42) had significantly greater improvements in oral hygiene compliance than the weekly reminder group (N = 37). The daily score decreases were 48%, 21% and 19% for the bleeding index (BI), plaque index (PI), and gingival index (GI), respectively. The weekly score decreases were 27%, 14% and 13% for the BI, PI, and GI. There were no sex differences in hygiene changes during the study. The 42% of patients who completed the survey at the end of the study wanted more frequent messages and reported that messages related to decreasing treatment time were the most effective, while those related to oral hygiene were the least effective.Conclusions:Daily text messages are more effective at improving oral hygiene than weekly text messages.

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The influence of text messaging on oral hygiene effectiveness

The Angle Orthodontist ◽

10.2319/071514-495.1 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 85 (4) ◽

pp. 543-548 ◽

Cited By ~ 30

Author(s):

T. Brent Bowen ◽

Daniel J. Rinchuse ◽

Thomas Zullo ◽

Mark E. DeMaria

Keyword(s):

Oral Hygiene ◽

Text Messaging ◽

Text Message ◽

Text Messages ◽

Control Group ◽

Controlled Clinical Trial ◽

Randomized Controlled ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Orthodontic Patients ◽

Hygiene Compliance

ABSTRACT Objective: To investigate whether text message reminders regarding oral hygiene have an effect on plaque removal in orthodontic patients. Materials and Methods: In this randomized, controlled clinical trial, 50 orthodontic patients were assigned to either a text message or control group. Patients in the text message group received 12 text messages over the course of 4 weeks and one text message for 8 weeks thereafter. Photos were taken at baseline (T0), at 4 weeks after baseline (T1), and at 12 weeks after baseline (T2). For each subject, photos of eight teeth were taken and then the area of the tooth and amount of plaque were measured using planimetry. Results: There was a statistically significant difference in plaque coverage between baseline and both T1 and T2 in the text message group as measured using planimetry. This was demonstrated by comparing the average measurements of the control group and the treatment group. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that the use of automated text message reminders sent from an orthodontic office was effective in improving oral hygiene compliance in orthodontic patients.

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Influence of active reminders on oral hygiene compliance in orthodontic patients

The Angle Orthodontist ◽

10.2319/062813-481.1 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 84 (2) ◽

pp. 208-213 ◽

Cited By ~ 29

Author(s):

Matthew Eppright ◽

Bhavna Shroff ◽

Al M. Best ◽

Elvi Barcoma ◽

Steven J. Lindauer

Keyword(s):

Oral Hygiene ◽

Text Message ◽

Control Group ◽

Controlled Clinical Trial ◽

White Spot Lesion ◽

Reminder System ◽

Randomized Controlled ◽

Orthodontic Patients ◽

Hygiene Compliance ◽

Text Message Reminder

ABSTRACTObjective:To determine if text message reminders regarding oral hygiene compliance have an influence on the level of compliance within an orthodontic population.Materials and Methods:In this prospective, randomized, controlled clinical trial, 42 orthodontic patients were assigned to a text message or control group. Parents of patients assigned to the text message group received a reminder text message one weekday each week. Oral hygiene compliance was measured using bleeding index (BI), modified gingival index (MGI), and plaque index (PI), and visual examination of white spot lesion (WSL) development at baseline (T0), two appointments after baseline (T1), and four appointments after baseline (T2).Results:BI, MGI, and PI scores were significantly lower in the text message group than in the control group at T2.Conclusion:A text message reminder system is effective for improving oral hygiene compliance in orthodontic patients.

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