Comparison of the impact of a current-caries management (ICCMS™) vs. a Colombian-conventional-caries system oral-hygiene-instruction leaflets

Objectives: To compare the impact of a designed current vs. a standardized oral-hygiene instructions leaflet within an ICCMS™ (International Caries Classification and Management System derived from ICDAS) vs. a Conventional caries management scheme RCT in 6 to 7-year old children.
Methods: An oral-hygiene instructions leaflet was designed for schoolchildren based in the current caries paradigm (ICCMS™). This, together with a convenctional oral-hygiene instructions leaflet was given and explained to 40 6 to 7-yr. olds (and their parents), who were participating in an RCT comparing the ICCMS™ and the Colombian-conventional caries management schemes (20 respectively for each system). Baseline and 6-month assessments were conducted: -plaque individual median (modified Silness & Löe: 0-no-plaque, 1-thin-plaque, 2-thick-plaque), and -the caries lesions’ development/progression probability (ICCMS™: low, moderate, high). Additionally, videos were filmed of the leaflet explanation session in a subsample of 6 children from each scheme (n=12) to assess session time and children/parents acceptance.
Results: The baseline plaque median was of 1 and the 6-month assessment of 0 in both schemes (Mann-Whitney test; p>0.05). The caries lesions’ development/progression probability sample distribution was for the ICCMS™ scheme: 5% low, 10% moderate, 85% high, and for the Colombian-conventional scheme 5%, 30%, and 65%, respectively (χ²; p>0.05). 6-month assessment figures were 85%, 0%, and 15%, and 65%, 30% and 5%, respectively (χ²; p<0.05). The subsample-video assessment disclosed that all children/parents of both schemes accepted/understood instructions. Mean leaflet-explanation time was 5’20’’± 2’26’’ (ICCMS™) and 4’37’’±0.41’’ (Colombian-conventional) (Mann-Whitney test; p<0.05).
Conclusions: Even though it takes longer time giving oral-hygiene instructions with the ICCMS™ leaflet, this, together with the other scheme measures, had a higher impact in reducing the caries lesions’ development/progression probability after 6 months. Longer time follow-ups should be carried out.