IADR Abstract Archives
Comprehensive Health Promotion Improves Gingival Health Of Girls In Kenya
Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of a comprehensive health promotion program designed to improve the gingival health of school girls in Nanyuki, Kenya.
Methods: Eighty-seven girls from a privately-funded subsidized boarding school in Kenya were enrolled in the study. The girls ranged in age from 13 to 18 years, with a mean age of 16.1 ± 1.2 years. A clinical examination was performed on each girl by one calibrated periodontist examiner before and after a comprehensive health promotion program. The program included oral and general health education, dental care, individualized oral hygiene instruction, and weekly peer support and monitroing. Visible dental plaque and periodontal assessments were made on 4 surfaces per tooth (buccal, lingual, mesial, and distal) of all permanent teeth, except third molars, at baseline and after a 1-year program. Bleeding on probing (BOP) was used as an indicator of gingival inflammation. Data was statistically analyzed (paired t test, p<0.05).
Results: At baseline, the mean percentage of sites with visible dental plaque and BOP was 75.78 ± 11.02 and 18.72 ±13.68, respectively. After 1-year of the program, the mean percentage of surfaces with visible dental plaque and BOP was greatly reduced to 19.91 ± 11.39 and 5.68 ± 4.68, respectively. There was a statistically significantly reduction of 73.38% of visible plaque and a statistically significantly reduction of 53.6% of BOP (p<0.001).
Conclusions: A 1-year comprehensive health promotion program of Kenyan school girls, which also actively involved peer mentoring and monitoring, significantly improved periodontal health as evidenced by reduced plaque (improved self-care) and bleeding scores (as a surogate marker for gingival inflammation). Studies are underway to determine if these improvements in oral health will be sustained long-term.
Methods: Eighty-seven girls from a privately-funded subsidized boarding school in Kenya were enrolled in the study. The girls ranged in age from 13 to 18 years, with a mean age of 16.1 ± 1.2 years. A clinical examination was performed on each girl by one calibrated periodontist examiner before and after a comprehensive health promotion program. The program included oral and general health education, dental care, individualized oral hygiene instruction, and weekly peer support and monitroing. Visible dental plaque and periodontal assessments were made on 4 surfaces per tooth (buccal, lingual, mesial, and distal) of all permanent teeth, except third molars, at baseline and after a 1-year program. Bleeding on probing (BOP) was used as an indicator of gingival inflammation. Data was statistically analyzed (paired t test, p<0.05).
Results: At baseline, the mean percentage of sites with visible dental plaque and BOP was 75.78 ± 11.02 and 18.72 ±13.68, respectively. After 1-year of the program, the mean percentage of surfaces with visible dental plaque and BOP was greatly reduced to 19.91 ± 11.39 and 5.68 ± 4.68, respectively. There was a statistically significantly reduction of 73.38% of visible plaque and a statistically significantly reduction of 53.6% of BOP (p<0.001).
Conclusions: A 1-year comprehensive health promotion program of Kenyan school girls, which also actively involved peer mentoring and monitoring, significantly improved periodontal health as evidenced by reduced plaque (improved self-care) and bleeding scores (as a surogate marker for gingival inflammation). Studies are underway to determine if these improvements in oral health will be sustained long-term.