Safia Rahman*, Chaithra V, Keerthi Prasad KS, Ramesh L
Introduction: Tooth brushing plays a vital role in effective plaque control, which depends on the method and the ease with which it is adopted. It is known that one of the major factors that lead to the occurrence of dental caries is the action of microorganisms. These micro-organisms harbor themselves onto tooth structure in form of bio-film, thus leading to the formation of dental plaque. Material and Methods: A total of 130 children in the correctional home were screened and divided into control and intervention groups with 30 subjects each. The children will be assessed for baseline plaque scores using the using Turesky–Gilmore– Glickman modification of the Quigley–Hein plaque index. The plaque was assessed on the labial, buccal, and lingual surfaces of all the teeth after using a disclosing agent. The scores are given: 0: No plaque; 1: Separate flecks of plaque at the cervical margin of the tooth; 2: A thin continuous band of plaque (up to 1 mm) at the cervical margin; 3: A band of plaque wider than 1 mm but covering less than one-third of the crown of the tooth; 4: Plaque covering at least one-third but less than two-thirds of the crown; 5: Plaque covering two-thirds or more of the crown. The participants were subjected to a music and action routine for tooth brushing. Repetitive exercise for two weeks was done to condition the participants. Plaque scores were assessed using a two-tone disclosing agent at baseline, at the end of a two-week training drill, and four-week follow-up where the participants were asked to brush by themselves without any supervision. Results: The difference in the mean dental plaque scores from baseline to the 30th day was found to be statistically significant among the intervention group. (p= <0.001). On intragroup comparison, the differences in the reduction of these plaque scores over time from baseline to the 15th day were statistically significant (p=<0.001). The inter-group comparison was statistically significant at baseline (p=0.044). There was a significant difference on the 15th day (p=0.041) and on the 30th day (p=0.040). Conclusion: The present study proves that there was a significant reduction in plaque scores (p=<0.001) for a month with the use of a tooth brushing drill for two weeks under supervision. This shows behavior modification and healthy habit formation among the children. This also shows that children can be motivated and trained using music and simple drills.