Impact of an Educational Intervention on Oral Health Knowledge and Bacterial Plaque Control in Male Secondary School Students in a Peruvian Province: A Quasi-Experimental Study

Abstract

Shevaristh Lloclla-Sauñe,1 Gissela Briceño-Vergel,1 Marysela Ladera-Castañeda,2 José Huamaní-Echaccaya,1 Leysi Romero-Velásquez,1 Emily Hernández-Huamaní,1 Rosa Aroste-Andía,1 Luis Cervantes-Ganoza,3 César Cayo-Rojas1 1School of Stomatology, Universidad Privada San Juan Bautista, Ica, Peru; 2Faculty of Dentistry and Postgraduate School, Research Team “salud Pública – Salud Integral”, Universidad Nacional Federico Villarreal, Lima, Peru; 3Faculty of Stomatology, Universidad Inca Garcilaso de la Vega, Lima, PeruCorrespondence: César Cayo-Rojas, Address: School of Stomatology, Universidad Privada San Juan Bautista, Carretera Panamericana Sur Km. 300, La Angostura, Subtanjalla, Ica, Peru, Email [email protected]: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of an educational intervention on oral health knowledge and bacterial plaque control in male secondary school students in a Peruvian province.Methods: This quasi-experimental study evaluated 294 male secondary school students in southern Peru. Oral health knowledge was measured with a validated 20-item questionnaire. Bacterial plaque was measured with the Simplified Oral Hygiene Index (OHI-S). This was rated as Excellent: 0, Good: 0.1– 1.2, Fair: 1.3– 3.0 and Poor: 3.1– 6.0, before receiving the educational intervention and after four weeks of receiving it. Variables such as age, area of residence, having health professionals as family members, educational level of mother and father, and living with parents were considered. A significance level of p 0.05). Regarding the OHI-S, no significant differences were observed in any of the variables studied, both before (p> 0.05) and after four weeks (p> 0.05) of receiving the educational intervention.Conclusion: After four weeks, the educational intervention significantly improved oral health knowledge and significantly reduced plaque bacterial plaque in male secondary school students in a Peruvian province, regardless of age, area of residence, having health professional family members, educational level of mother and father, and living with parents.Keywords: educational intervention, bacterial plaque, level of knowledge, oral health, dentistry, secondary school students, Peru

Keywords

• educational intervention
• bacterial plaque
• level of knowledge
• oral health
• dentistry
• secondary school students
• peru.