Mobile Oral Health Intervention Effectiveness on Orthodontic Patients' Oral Hygiene and Oral Health Literacy

NCT06734325 | Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: 0913-05/2024
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 60
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Orthodontic patients face unique challenges in maintaining optimal oral hygiene due to the presence of fixed orthodontic appliances, which tend to increase plaque retention, leading to gingival inflammation. Oral Health Literacy (OHL) plays a role in an individual's ability to understand and implement oral hygiene instructions effectively. Mobile oral health interventions involve the use of mobile technology such as smartphones to improve oral hygiene practices and outcomes. Aim of the study: To assess the effectiveness of a mobile oral health intervention using WhatsApp messages as compared to standard oral hygiene instructions on oral hygiene status and OHL level among orthodontic patients.

Conditions

Oral Health Literacy; Oral Hygiene

Keywords

oral health literacy; oral hygiene; orthodontic patients; mobile oral health intervention; whatsapp; messages

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Oral Health Literacy

  oral health literacy as measured by the Oral Health Literacy - Adult Questionnaire (OHL-AQ). Scores of all questions answered by participants will be added to obtain the overall score of OHL ranging from 0 to 17. Scores are categorized into three groups: Inadequate (0-9), Borderline (10-11), and Adequate (12-17) OHL level

  Change from baseline to 1 month, 3 months, 6 months

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• Oral Hygiene

  Change from baseline to 1 month, 3 months, 6 months

Study Arms (2)

Mobile Oral Health Intervention

EXPERIMENTAL

Mobile oral health intervention in addition to oral hygiene instructions

Behavioral: Mobile Oral Health Intervention

Control

NO INTERVENTION

oral hygiene instructions only

Interventions

Mobile Oral Health Intervention BEHAVIORAL

46 messages delivered over a 3-month period (12 weeks) via WhatsApp

Mobile Oral Health Intervention

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 16 Years - 25 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Patients undergoing orthodontic treatment with fixed appliances in both arches for the first time.
• Patients between the age of 16 and 25 years.
• Participants must own a smartphone with WhatsApp installed.
• Those who agree to be part of the research project and accept the informed consent.

You may not qualify if:

• The presence of systemic diseases affecting oral health.
• Patients with cleft lip and/or palate.
• Functional and orthognathic patients.
• Previous orthodontic treatment.
• Patients with a removable appliance.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Alexandria University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Faculty of Dentistry, Alexandria University

Alexandria, Egypt

RECRUITING

Related Publications (3)

• Pubalan S, Zi Hong O, Yongxian T, Mabel L. Assessing effectiveness of WhatsApp messaging program in oral hygiene care for orthodontic patients: A randomised controlled trial. J Orthod. 2024 Dec;51(4):407-414. doi: 10.1177/14653125241230561. Epub 2024 Feb 17.

  PMID: 38366912 BACKGROUND

• Cho HA, Im AJ, Sim YR, Jang HB, Lim HJ. The association between oral health literacy and oral health behaviors in North Korean defectors: a cross-sectional study. BMC Public Health. 2020 Jul 7;20(1):1074. doi: 10.1186/s12889-020-08550-7.

  PMID: 32635907 BACKGROUND

• Balbaa NM, Hamza MA, Abdelaziz WE, Adham MM. Effectiveness of mobile oral health intervention on orthodontic patients' oral hygiene and oral health literacy: a randomised controlled clinical trial. BMC Oral Health. 2025 Dec 12. doi: 10.1186/s12903-025-07423-y. Online ahead of print.

  PMID: 41382113 DERIVED

Study Officials

• Nermine Balbaa, BDS

  Teaching Assistant, Faculty of Dentistry, Alexandria University, Egypt

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Nermine Balbaa, BDS

CONTACT

01271119074; balbaanermine@gmail.com

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Teaching assistant

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: December 11, 2024
• First Posted: December 16, 2024
• Study Start: November 10, 2024
• Primary Completion: May 1, 2025
• Study Completion: June 1, 2025
• Last Updated: December 24, 2024

Record last verified: 2024-12

Locations

EG (1)