Impact of a Multi-Component Preventive Oral Health Program on Dental Plaque Scores for Individuals with Special Health Care Needs.

PMID 42404201 | PMCID PMC13332728 | DOI 10.2147/CCIDE.S584289 · Clinical, cosmetic and investigational dentistry · 2026

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PURPOSE: Plaque accumulation is considered to be one of the main factors in various oral diseases. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of oral health counselling on plaque scores for Individuals with Special Health Care Needs (ISHCN) attending special care dentistry clinics. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A prospective observational study was designed and consecutive sampling was used among the adult patients attending special care dentistry clinics at a University Dental Hospital. A total of 120 participants (61 males and 59 females between) aged between 16 and 69 years were enrolled in the study. Participation was voluntary, and recruits were selected after the application of a set of inclusion and exclusion criteria. The participants were categorized according to their specific health care needs. The subjects were assessed for plaque scores using the Silness-Löe Plaque Index for a period of six months. The first observation was noted at baseline and then every two weeks until the next three months. Finally, monthly plaque scores were recorded for the subsequent three months. Ten observations were recorded for each participant. All data were entered and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS v.22) software. RESULTS: The majority of the sample was comprised of the "Medically compromised group", followed by the "Intellectual disability" group. The overall baseline mean plaque index score was 2.68, which reduced significantly (p = 0.01) at the completion of 6 months period. CONCLUSION: The multi-component preventive oral health program and repeated follow up was associated with significant reduction in dental plaque scores among individuals with special health care need over six months.