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  • Title: Improving oral hygiene in the long-term care of the elderly--a RCT.
    Author: Zenthöfer A, Dieke R, Dieke A, Wege KC, Rammelsberg P, Hassel AJ.
    Journal: Community Dent Oral Epidemiol; 2013 Jun; 41(3):261-8. PubMed ID: 23020631.
    Abstract:
    BACKGROUND: Oral hygiene and health of the institutionalized elderly are frequently described as inadequate. OBJECTIVES: This randomized and single-blinded (outcome evaluation) study compared three types of intervention for improving oral hygiene with a control. The purpose was to investigate whether there were any significant differences between the intervention and control groups. METHODS: One hundred and six participants living in long-term care homes in South-West Germany were recruited and randomly divided into four groups-three therapy groups and one control group. For all three therapy groups, teeth and dentures were cleaned professionally and individual instruction was given. One of these groups was also re-instructed and remotivated by a dentist (n = 27). One also received help from, and was remotivation by, staff educated in dental hygiene (n = 26). The third therapy group was not remotivated after professional cleaning of teeth and dentures (n = 26). For the control group, there was no intervention (n = 23). The main target clinical data were mean plaque (plaque-control record, O'Leary), gingival bleeding (Ainamo/Bay), and denture hygiene indices. For assessment of the difference between being in an intervention group and in a control group, mixed-model analysis for repeated measurements was performed for each main target variable. In addition, target clinical data were evaluated in long-term follow-up after 3 years. RESULTS: Compared with controls, denture hygiene, plaque, and gingival bleeding indices were significantly lower in the intervention groups over a twelve-week period (mixed model for repeated measurements; P < 0.023). Estimates of effects between control and each treatment group were comparable among the three therapy groups; however, even though two of the groups received further help and instruction. Long-term follow-up showed that all indices were significantly worse than at the last study recall (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Professional cleaning of teeth and dentures, with individual instruction, can be recommended to improve oral hygiene. However, the effect decreases over time and renewal of the intervention is necessary.
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