Abstract

The Effect of School Dental Education Program on the Gingival Health Condition in a Group of 8 Years Boys in Diyala City, Iraq

Objective: Gingivitis is the inflammation of the gingival tissues, which usually precedes periodontitis. Periodontal health depends mainly on the regular removal of dental plaque. One of the effective means of prevention is the oral self-care practice for maintaining good individual oral health; in addition, schools are thought to be the most suitable aid to provide health information to children in order to achieve the maintenance of oral health. So the aim was to see the effect of a school education program on the gingival health for a group of boys. Materials and methods: Total 60 pupils of primary school aged 8 years old from Diyala city/Iraq were randomly selected. All of them were boys. The sample was collected from February 2017 to March 2017 from one primary school (Al-Falah School). The subjects were examined for the gingival health condition according to Loe and Silness, 1963 and plaque accumulation was recorded according to Silness and Loe, 1964. The program consisted of phases for motivation and instruction. Results: The instruction and motivation program showed a change in behavior and attitude of children after program and increase in the percentage of answers (yes) about cleaning teeth with brush and toothpaste, the use of fluoridated toothpaste, times of brushing, replacement of toothbrush and if there is a relation between brushing and dental caries. Conversely, there was less change in answers about the time of brushing and visit the dentist. Conclusion: There was a change or increase in knowledge and behavior of children about the care of oral health, promoting preventive care after the educational program.

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