Adherence to Dietary Advice and Oral Hygiene Practices Among Orthodontic Patients

INTRODUCTION: Adherence to dietary advice and proper oral hygiene practices during orthodontic treatment are critical to maintaining good oral health and achieving successful treatment results. Thus, understanding patients’ habits and practices before, during, and after orthodontic treatment is needed to ensure better oral health-related behavior among these patients. PURPOSE: To investigate sugar-related dietary habits, visits to dental hygienists and dentists, and oral hygiene practices among patients during orthodontic treatment and after treatment compared to patients before treatment. METHODS: A cross-sectional self-administered survey collected data from 375 patients (aged 10 years and older) from the Orthodontic Department at King Abdulaziz University Dental Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Patients were grouped according to their history of receiving orthodontic treatment into: patients before orthodontic treatment, patients during treatment, and patients after treatment. The survey assessed sugar-related dietary habits, frequency of visits to hygienists and dentists, and oral hygiene practices. RESULTS: Patients during orthodontic treatment and those after treatment were less likely to eat sticky food compared to patients before treatment (OR=0.4, 95% CI=0.2–0.9 and OR=0.5, 95% CI=0.3–0.9, respectively). No significant differences were found in the odds of dental visits among the groups. Compared to patients before orthodontic treatment, patients during treatment and patients after treatment had higher odds of tooth brushing twice or more per day (OR=4.8, 95% CI=1.7–14.3, and OR=4.0, 95% CI=1.2–13.6, respectively) and were more likely to brush for an adequate time (OR=2.6, 95% CI=1.6–4.4 and OR=1.9, 95% CI=1.0–3.5, respectively). Moreover, the likelihood of flossing once daily was higher in patients during treatment and in patients after treatment relative to those before treatment. However, only patients during orthodontic treatment used interdental brushes more than patients before treatment. CONCLUSION: Patients’ oral health-related behavior seems to improve during and after orthodontic treatment. The findings of this study suggest that orthodontists can play a role in improving oral hygiene practices among their patients. More reinforcement of dietary instructions and periodic dental and hygiene visits is needed during orthodontic follow-up appointments.