Alerting Patients of Their Risk of Periodontal Disease Can Improve Oral Hygiene

Warning patients of their risks of periodontal disease may improve their oral hygiene, according to a study published in the Journal of Periodontology.

A team of researchers at King’s College London’s Faculty of Dentistry, Oral and Craniofacial Sciences divided a group of 97 adult subjects with moderate periodontal diseases into groups: those who received treatment as usual; those who received an individualized report on their periodontal risk, or those who received an individualized report, plus a program of goal-setting planning and self-monitoring based on psychological theory.

Researchers report that subjects in the two groups who were alerted of their risk for the disease experienced a significant reduction in dental plaque, as well as reduced scores for gingival inflammation over a 12-week period. Frequency of interdental cleaning was only improved in the intervention groups.

The study, “The Effect of Risk Communication on Periodontal Treatment Outcomes: A Randomized Controlled Trial,” is available online.