Effects of Clinic-Based Dental Hygiene Program on Periodontal Status

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of an oral health program based on structured dental hygiene education in reducing dental plaque and periodontal pathogens. Participants received a program consisting of standardized toothbrushing instruction, oral hygiene education, and clinical monitoring. Dental plaque was assessed using the O’Leary index, and major periodontal pathogens were analyzed. The program effectively reduced dental plaque and modified the levels of key periodontal pathogens. Despite the small sample size and single- site design, consistent improvements were observed. Systematic oral health programs may contribute to the prevention of periodontal diseases, and further large-scale studies are required to confirm these findings. The active role of dental hygienists in implementing such programs should be emphasized in both clinical and community settings.

목차 (Table of Contents)

• Abstract
• Ⅰ. Introduction
• Ⅱ. Methods
• 1. Data sources
• 2. Implementation of dental hygiene program
• 3. Assessment of Dental Plaque
• 4. Observation of intraoral microorganisms using phase-contrast microscope
• 5. Detection of intraoral microorganisms by real-time polymerase chain reaction
• 6. Statistical analyses
• Ⅲ. Results
• 1. Characteristics of the study subjects
• 2. Effect of the oral health program on dental plaque and intraoral microorganisms
• 3. Factors influencing changes in the dental plaque index
• 4. Factors influencing changes in the total count of intraoral microorganisms
• 5. Factors influencing changes in the count of p. intermedia
• Ⅳ. Discussion
• Ⅴ. Conclusions
• References