New vision for improving oral hygiene status of visually impaired students aged from 9 to 17 years

Comparison of Different Modes of Oral Health Education in Visually Impaired Children

To compare the effectiveness of various modes of oral health education in visually impaired children. A total of 100 students aged 8-15 years were included. The children were divided randomly into four groups. Children in Group I received oral hygiene instructions through Braille pamphlets. In Group II, children received instructions through nonvisual desktop access (NVDA). For children in Group III, both Braille and NVDA were used to deliver the instructions. Children included in Group IV served as controls, who did not receive any information in any form for the study period. After oral examination to record plaque and OHI-S scores, a questionnaire was given to the children to assess their knowledge scores. The same questionnaire was repeated after 1 month to reassess the knowledge score in different groups. Chi-square test, Wilcoxon test, and post hoc analysis tests were used. The mean plaque scores among the control group children at the follow-up were significantly higher (2.5 ± 0.64) than any other group. Similarly, the control group had higher mean oral hygiene simplified scores (1.75 ± 1.32) than the Braille (1.12 ± 0.65), NVDA (0.85 ± 1.38), and Braille + NVDA (0.2 ± 0.64) groups at follow-up. With regards to the mean total knowledge score, the control group scored the least (2.16 ± 1.46), while the Braille, NVDA, and Braille + NVDA groups scored 3.16 ± 1.43, 4.52 ± 1.12, and 6.36 ± 0.52, respectively. Combination of Braille and NVDA was found to be effective in educating and motivating visually impaired children regarding maintenance of oral hygiene.

Oral health status and hygiene practices among visually impaired adolescents from a school in Kenya

BACKGROUND

Visual impairment affects a significant population globally. The aim of this study was to determine the oral health status and oral hygiene practices among visually impaired adolescents from a school in Kenya.

METHODS

A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out among 159 adolescents aged 10-19 years attending the largest public primary boarding school for the blind in Kenya. A questionnaire was used to record participants' socio-demographic variables and oral hygiene practices. Clinical examination was undertaken to assess oral health status which consisted of oral hygiene, gingival health, and dental caries. Bivariate analyses were conducted to compare dental health outcomes across socio-demographic characteristics.

RESULTS

There were 69 (43.4%) and 90 (56.6%) participants in Category I and II visual impairment respectively, 85 (53.5%) were male and 74 (46.5%) were female. Study participants were divided into three age categories: 10-12 years 48 (30.2%), 13-15 years 67 (42.1%), and 16- 19 years 44 (27.7%), with an overall mean age of 13.9 ± 2.3. All participants brushed their teeth, majority 107 (67.3%) brushed two or more times daily. Only 66 (41.5%) of the participants replaced their toothbrushes at 3 months. Sex (p =< 0.001) and age (p = 0.04) influenced frequency of toothbrush replacement. The average plaque score and gingival score index was 0.95 ± 0.45 and 0.28 ± 0.25 respectively, with gingivitis prevalence of 88.1%. Overall dental caries prevalence was 44.7%, [42.1%)] permanent dentition and [8.2%] deciduous dentition. Mean DMFT and dmft were 0.44 ± 0.60 and 0.12 ± 0.32 respectively. DMFT had a statistically significant association with sex (t = 1.82, p = 0.03). Oral hygiene practices did not influence oral hygiene and dental caries status. However, a statistically significant association was reported between frequency of toothbrush replacement and gingival score index ("p" =< 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The study reported general good oral hygiene, prevalent gingivitis 140 (88.1%), and almost half of the study population affected by dental caries 71 (44.7%). Most participants were unaware of using fluoridated toothpaste and of needing to change toothbrushes within 3 months. Frequency of toothbrush replacement was reported to influence gingival score index.