Oral Hygiene Maintenance Via Teledentistry in Orthodontic Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Erum Behroz Khan        BDS, FCPS, C-Orth, MTFPDP, C-HPE

Mairah Shah                     BDS

S.M. Tariq Rafi                 MBBS, DLO, FCPS, FICS, FRCS

Sadia Rizwan                    BDS, FCPS

Zuhair Ahmed                  BDS

Samar Fatima                   BDS

OBJECTIVES: To determine the extent of improvement in oral hygiene via text message reminder in patients undergoing fixed orthodontic treatment.
METHODOLOGY: The participants were from 13 to 30 years of age recruited from Department of Orthodontics, Sindh Institute of Oral Health Sciences, Jinnah Sindh Medical University, Karachi, Pakistan. The sample comprised of 70 patients (59 female and 11 male) about to have fixed orthodontic treatment, 35 in text message group and 35 in control group. Patient’s plaque index was evaluated at baseline and after 30 days.
RESULTS: Text message group had highly significant (P < .05) plaque index score (PostPI) than control group.
CONCLUSIONS: Orthodontic patients frequently reminded to brush have better oral hygiene.
KEYWORDS: Plaque index, Text message, Oral hygiene, Orthodontics.
HOW TO CITE: Khan EB, Shah M, Rafi S.M.T, Rizwan S, Ahmed Z, Fatima S. Oral hygiene maintenance via teledentistry in orthodontic patients: A randomized controlled trial. J Pak Dent Assoc 2021;30(1):34-38.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.25301/JPDA.301.34
Received: 20 August 2019, Accepted: 23 November 2020
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