Effects of an oral health program for high school students

Objectives: Previous research has suggested that oral malodor could be a useful motivational tool to increase the awareness of oral health in adolescents and improve their oral health behaviors. Hence the main aims of this research were to test the impact of an oral health education program, which included the prevention of oral malodor, on Japanese high school students, and to compare the outcomes of this intervention program with a control group. Methods: Subjects were 163 Grade 1 and 135 Grade 2 high school students in Tokyo, Japan. An oral health education program was developed, which included prevention of oral malodor, and was conducted in small group, inter-active settings with all Grade 1 students (intervention group). Grade 2 students (control group) did not receive the intervention program. Changes in oral health status and oral malodor were compared between the intervention and control groups after one year. Results: The intervention group, compared with the control group, had a significantly higher proportion of subjects who improved or maintained good oral health status outcomes such as plaque, gingival condition, tongue coating condition and oral malodor. The change was most evident in those subjects with detectable oral malodor at the commencement of the program. Conclusions: These findings suggest that acts on prevention of oral malodor are effective for improving their oral hygiene at the Japanese high students. This research suggested that there might be benefits for teenagers to receive oral health education programs in small group settings and to include prevention of oral malodor.