THE IMPACT OF PREVENTIVE MEASURES ON ORAL HYGIENE IN 15-YEAR-OLD ADOLESCENTS

Abstract

Oral hygiene has a significant impact on the dental health of adolescents. Therefore, studying and identifying opportunities for its improvement in adolescents is highly important. Application of the proposed scheme of preventive work with a cohort of adolescents attending school and college made it possible to improve the hygienic condition of the oral cavity in them. During the 1st survey, the hygiene rate in the group of students and the group of college students was at the average level, which corresponds to a satisfactory level of oral hygiene, although when comparing the numerical values of the rate of schoolchildren and college students, it was worse among college attendees. The study showed that constant monitoring and communication with the subjects in the main groups resulted in significant improvement in oral hygiene and their maintenance throughout the observation period (12 months). The results confirm the need for constant monitoring by parents for oral hygiene in adolescents.
 We observed 15-year-old students (54 people) and college visitors of the same age (43 people) and divided them into two groups: the main group of schoolchildren and college students who underwent our proposed preventive measures under constant supervision; the control group (schoolchildren and college students), who were offered preventive measures without monitoring by a dentist.
 The method of communication with included professional hygiene, controlled brushing, oral hygiene training, acquaintance with objects and means of oral hygiene, rules of nutrition, and leading a healthy lifestyle. We examined adolescents in the control group twice a year. The main group monitored the implementation of the proposed recommendations regularly. The study of the researched indicators was conducted 6 and 12 months after one examination. According to the WHO recommendations, the Hygiene Index (OHI-S) was determined by the Green-Vermillion; additionally, we conducted the Fedorov-Volodkina index.
 Application of the proposed scheme of preventive work with a cohort of adolescents studying at school and college made it possible to improve the hygienic condition of the oral cavity in them. During the 1st examination, the hygiene rate in the group of students and the group of college students was at the average level, which corresponds to a satisfactory level of oral hygiene. Although comparing the numerical values of the rate of schoolchildren and college students, it was worse among college visitors. The study showed that constant monitoring and communication with the subjects in the main groups resulted in a significant improvement in the level of oral hygiene and their maintenance throughout the observation period (12 months).
 The results confirm the need for constant monitoring by parents for oral hygiene in adolescents.