Abstract
BackgroundAlmost one-half of 12–15 year olds living in deprived areas of the UK have dental caries (tooth decay) with few oral health promotion programmes aimed at children of this age. Mobile phone-based interventions such as short messaging service (SMS) interventions have been found effective at changing certain behaviours and improving health outcomes. This protocol describes the BRIGHT Trial, investigating the clinical and cost-effectiveness of a behaviour change intervention—classroom-based session (CBS) embedded in the curriculum and a series of SMS delivered to participants twice daily to remind them to brush their teeth, compared to usual curriculum and no SMS—to reduce the prevalence of dental caries in young people from deprived areas.ObjectivesTo investigate the clinical and cost-effectiveness of a complex intervention to improve the oral health of young people living in deprived areas.Methods/designThis is a school-based, assessor-blinded, two-arm cluster-randomised controlled trial with an internal pilot trial. Overall, the trial will involve approximately 5040 11–13 year olds in 42 schools with a 3-year follow-up. The trial will take place in secondary schools in England, Scotland and Wales. The primary outcome is the presence of carious lesions in permanent teeth at 3 years. Secondary outcomes are: number of carious teeth, frequency of twice-daily toothbrushing, plaque levels, gingivitis, child health-related quality of life and oral health-related quality of life. A cost-utility analysis will be conducted.DiscussionThe findings of the trial have implications for embedding oral health interventions into school curricula guidance produced by national bodies, including departments for education and dental public health and guideline-development organisations.Trial registrationISRCTN registry, ISRCTN12139369. Registered on 10 May 2017.
Highlights
Almost one-half of 12–15 year olds living in deprived areas of the UK have dental caries with few oral health promotion programmes aimed at children of this age
The findings of the trial have implications for embedding oral health interventions into school curricula guidance produced by national bodies, including departments for education and dental public health and guideline-development organisations
Young person recruitment Recruitment strategies have been based on consultation with young people through a youth organisation concerned with hard-to-reach young people (Children and Young People’s Empowerment Project (Chilypep)), teachers and head teachers, a school welfare officer and school nurse and from learning during the internal pilot trial
Summary
Almost one-half of 12–15 year olds living in deprived areas of the UK have dental caries (tooth decay) with few oral health promotion programmes aimed at children of this age. Mobile phone-based interventions such as short messaging service (SMS) interventions have been found effective at changing certain behaviours and improving health outcomes This protocol describes the BRIGHT Trial, investigating the clinical and costeffectiveness of a behaviour change intervention—classroom-based session (CBS) embedded in the curriculum and a series of SMS delivered to participants twice daily to remind them to brush their teeth, compared to usual curriculum and no SMS—to reduce the prevalence of dental caries in young people from deprived areas. In 2013 in England, 32% of 12 year olds experienced dental caries and required treatment, ranging from 46% of those eligible for free school meals (FSM) to 30% of those ineligible. Children’s tooth extractions alone, carried out under general anaesthesia, and as a result of dental caries, costs an estimated £36 million annually in England [12]
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