Evaluation of the Impact of Oral Health Education on Oral Hygiene Knowledge and Plaque Control of School-going Children in the City of Amritsar

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: The present study aims to evaluate the impact of oral health education on oral hygiene knowledge and plaque control of school-going children in the city of Amritsar. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was carried out for 6 weeks and included four groups of schoolchildren of 10–12 years of age. Children were randomly selected and assigned into one of the four groups – Group I (verbal communication), Group II (verbal communication and self-educational pamphlets), Group III (audiovisual aids and verbal communication), and Group IV (control group). Oral health education was assessed by getting a questionnaire filled by children and plaque scores was recorded using Silness and Loe plaque index before and after the study. The data were then compared and analyzed using SPSS 16 software manufactured by IBM. RESULTS: Differences in knowledge gain after the dental health education were statistically significant between all the groups, except between Group II and Group III in which the difference was not found to be significant. Group III showed the highest decrease in plaque score followed by Group II. There was a significant difference in reduction in plaque scores between all the groups, except between the Groups II and III. CONCLUSION: Both methods, i.e., pamphlets and audiovisual aids when used along with oral lectures, are equally effective in improving the knowledge and plaque scores in children.