Oral Hygiene

Tooth decay is one of the most common health problems in young children in Saudi Arabia. Brushing twice a day with fluoride toothpaste is one of the most effective ways to prevent it, but preschool children cannot do this properly on their own and depend on their mothers to brush for them and to supervise them. Mothers usually receive oral health advice only once, during a dental visit, and a single session may not be enough to change daily habits at home. This study will test whether short oral health messages sent to mothers on WhatsApp, in addition to the usual face-to-face advice, help mothers know more about toothbrushing and help their children brush better. Mothers of children aged 3 to 6 years attending the Pediatric Dentistry Clinics at King Abdulaziz University Hospital in Jeddah will be invited to take part. All mothers will first answer a short questionnaire about what they know about toothbrushing and how their child currently brushes. All mothers will then receive the same 10 to 15 minute face-to-face oral health education session. After the session, each mother will be placed into one of two groups by chance, like flipping a coin. Mothers in the first group will also receive two WhatsApp messages a week for eight weeks, sixteen messages in total, covering how often to brush, how much fluoride toothpaste to use, correct brushing technique, and how to help and supervise their child. Mothers in the second group will not receive these messages. After eight weeks, all mothers will answer the same questionnaire again, and the answers of the two groups will be compared. Taking part involves no dental treatment or procedures beyond the child's normal care, and mothers may withdraw at any time.

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of toothbrushing education on plaque removal in children aged 7-12 years with specific learning disabilities (SLD) and to compare their plaque removal performance with healthy children. Participants will receive standardized toothbrushing education supported by visual and auditory materials. Plaque Index, Gingival Index, and photograph-based quantitative plaque analyses will be evaluated at baseline and after a 2-week follow-up period.

This study aims to evaluate dental caries and oral hygiene status in children aged 7-12 years with specific learning disabilities (SLD) and to compare the findings with healthy children. Clinical oral examinations, including dmft/DMFT, ICDAS II, Plaque Index, and Gingival Index assessments, will be performed. In addition, questionnaire-based evaluations of oral hygiene habits, dietary habits, and parental supervision during toothbrushing will be conducted.

Motivational Interviewing (MI) represents a patient centered counselling approach designed to facilitate behaviour change by guiding patients through the exploration and resolution of ambivalence toward positive health actions. Adapting OARS microskills (open ended questions fostering dialogue, affirmations building self-efficacy, reflective listening mirroring emotions, summarization making commitments) intertwined with the RULE framework (resisting the righting reflex, understanding personal motivations, empathic listening, empowering autonomy) helps cultivate patient's intrinsic motivation for sustained oral hygiene adherence. It effectively resolves ambivalence toward plaque control behaviours essential for periodontitis management. Grounded in MI's core spirit of equal partnership, evocation of inner values, acceptance and compassionate support, this approach fosters long term adherence to treatment. This is in contrast to oral hygiene instructions that typically employ a directive advice giving method, where clinicians provide patients with prescriptive guidance on maintaining optimal oral hygiene practices. Periodontitis staging, as defined by the 2017 World Workshop classification, delineates disease severity (Stages I-III), complexity of management, and extent of involvement, while grading (A-C) offers a prognostic indicator of the risk for future progression based on factors such as rate of advancement and responsiveness to therapy. Integrating motivational interviewing (MI) with periodontitis staging and grading creates a structured framework from diagnosis to patient centered action, enhancing adherence to stage specific treatment plans. This study seeks to investigate the influence of MI on Clinical outcomes, Patient motivation, Patient related outcomes and Patient's Self-efficacy in oral hygiene following subgingival instrumentation among patients stratified by periodontitis stage. By doing so, it aims to explore the potential of behavior change interventions to yield not only clinical improvements but also broader health benefits in the management of periodontitis.

Orthodontic patients face unique challenges in maintaining optimal oral hygiene due to the presence of fixed orthodontic appliances, which tend to increase plaque retention, leading to gingival inflammation. Oral Health Literacy (OHL) plays a role in an individual's ability to understand and implement oral hygiene instructions effectively. Mobile oral health interventions involve the use of mobile technology such as smartphones to improve oral hygiene practices and outcomes. Aim of the study: To assess the effectiveness of a mobile oral health intervention using WhatsApp messages as compared to standard oral hygiene instructions on oral hygiene status and OHL level among orthodontic patients.

This study aims to use two-arm randomized clinical trials to evaluate the effectiveness of the health diary in helping adolescents wearing fixed orthodontic appliances improve their oral hygiene status, self-management skills, oral health-related quality of life, self-efficacy, intention，number of breakages, and on-time and return visit status.