Method: Five hundred and seventeen children (mean age 5.61 years sd 1.11) were recruited. Class teachers were trained individually by the same dental hygienist in the most appropriate toothbrushing technique for young children. Children in the intervention group brushed once a day at school under teacher supervision. Clinical examinations (baseline, 9 month and 21 month) were by visual assessment only with the children lying supine and using a portable lamp for illumination. All teeth present were assessed using the BASCD criteria (Pitts et al. 1997). Mean DMFS+dmfs values for the two groups at the end of the study were compared using ANCOVA techniques with the baseline values as covariates. Initial analysis was performed on children remaining in the study until its conclusion and attending both baseline and final examinations. A further analysis was performed excluding those children who were caries free for the duration of the study.
Results: A total of 370 children (71%) completed the study. For children in the intervention group the caries increment was significantly less (10.9%; p<0.001) than for those children in the non-intervention group. Approximately 31% of children (n=113) were caries free throughout the study. Excluding the results of this group gave a mean reduction in caries increment of approximately 0.8 surfaces (18.5%, p<0.001).
Conclusions: This study suggests that a practical programme of daily, teacher-supervised toothbrushing can be safely targeted into socially deprived communities and a significant reduction in dental caries achieved.
Study supported by BCCCA, BSDA and The Sugar Bureau.