Experiences of Oral Health After Adopting GC Tooth Mousse Plus®

Objectives: To identify how participants’ oral health status changed after introducing GC Tooth Mousse Plus®(TMP) into their oral hygiene routine.
Methods: A qualitative study using Charmaz’s grounded theory methodology was conducted. Fifteen purposively sampled regular users of TMP were interviewed. Transcripts were analyzed after each interview. Data analysis consisted of transcript coding, detailed memo writing, and data interpretation. Ethics approval for the study was obtained from the University of Melbourne.
Results: Participants described their experiences of oral health and disease, before, during and after introducing TMP into their daily oral hygiene routine, together with the historical, biological, financial, psychosocial and habitual dimensions of their experiences. Before adopting TMP, participants described themselves as having a “damaged mouth” with “vulnerable teeth, toothache, dry mouth, and sensitivity”. Various aspects of participants’ histories were relevant: family history, personal history, and history of fluoridation. Having a “damaged mouth” with “vulnerable teeth, toothache, dry mouth and sensitivity” was explained by these historical elements. Despite some initial doubt, once being prescribed TMP and having dental professionals’ endorsement, a three-fold process of change was initiated: starting a new oral hygiene routine, persevering daily and experiencing reinforcing outcomes. This process led to a fundamental lifestyle change with five types of outcomes: historical, biological, financial, psychosocial and habitual. Participants transitioned from having a “damaged mouth with vulnerable teeth” to having “a comfortable mouth with strong teeth”; at the same time participants felt empowered by this newly found status of being able to “keep their teeth for life”. Barriers and facilitators for incorporating TMP on daily oral hygiene routine were also identified.
Conclusions: Participants valued having “a comfortable mouth” and being able to “keep their teeth for life”. The reinforcing outcomes experienced after the adoption of TMP into their oral hygiene routines strengthened participant’s compliance to daily application of TMP.