The Effect of Active Reminders on Oral Hygiene in Orthodontics

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The aim of this study is to investigate the efficacy of text message active reminders at different time intervals of oral hygiene instructions in patients with orthodontic fixed appliances.

Detailed Description
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Participants with orthodontic fixed appliances will be recruited from the university hospital clinics to receive text message reminders of oral hygiene. Four groups of participants will be formulated. Group 1 will be the control group and will not receive text messages. Group 2 will receive messages once a week. Group 3 will receive text message reminders 3 times a week. Group 4 will receive daily reminders. At baseline, after 4 weeks and after 8 weeks, gingival index and plaque index will be measured at each time point and then compared between groups.

Official Title
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The Effect of Active Reminders on Oral Hygiene of Patients With Fixed Orthodontic Appliances With Different Time Intervals

Conditions
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Oral Hygiene

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Reminders once a week
* Behavioral: Verbal oral hygiene instructions
* Behavioral: Reminders three times a week
* Behavioral: Daily reminders


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Participants were having orthodontic fixed appliance treatment. Participants were aged 12 years old and above, owned mobile phones and did not have mental or physical disabilities. Participants were willing to comply with given oral hygiene instructions.

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 12 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Prevention
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Interventional Model Description: Four groups of participants will be formulated. Each will will receive messages in different time interval starting from none, once a week, three times a week and daily.
Masking: Triple


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Active Comparator: Verbal oral hygiene instructions<br>Participants will receive verbal oral hygiene instructions during routine orthodontic visits. | Behavioral: Verbal oral hygiene instructions<br>* Participants in this group will receive verbal oral hygiene instructions during their regular orthodontic visits every 4 weeks.<br>|
| Experimental: Reminders once a week<br>Participants will receive active reminders once a week. | Behavioral: Reminders once a week<br>* Participants in this group will receive active oral hygiene reminders through text messaging once a week.<br>|
| Experimental: Reminders three times a week<br>Participants will receive active reminders three times a week. | Behavioral: Reminders three times a week<br>* Participants in this group will receive active oral hygiene reminders through text messaging three times a week.<br>|
| Experimental: Daily reminders<br>Participants will receive active reminders daily. | Behavioral: Daily reminders<br>* Participants in this group will receive active oral hygiene reminders through text messaging on a daily basis.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Change in Plaque Index | Plaque index: 0, no plaque, 1, plaque seen on the tip of the explorer or with disclosing agent, 2. plaque seen with the naked eye, 3, abundance of plaque. | At baseline, 4 weeks and 8 weeks | 
| Change in gingival index | Gingival index: 0, normal gingiva, 1, mild inflammation - slight change in color, slight edema and no bleeding on probing, 2, moderate inflammation - redness, edema and glazing and bleeding on probing, 3, severe inflammation - marked redness and edema, ulceration and tendency to spontaneous bleeding. | At baseline, 4 weeks and 8 weeks |