Author(s): Harshal Jejurikar, Salil Nene, Ajit Kalia, Gaurav Gupta and Nasim Mirdehghan
Objective: To determine if text messaging reminders regarding oral hygiene have any influence on the level of compliance with an orthodontic population.
Material & Method: 50 orthodontic patients were considered out of which 25 patients’ parents were assigned text message group & 25 parents of patients were assigned in the non-text message group, which did not receive a reminder text message (control group). Message was sent once a week for 4 months. Oral hygiene compliance was measured using, plaque index (PI), and visual examination of white spot lesion (WSL). 1st appointment after two month (T0); 2nd appointment after three months (T1); 3rd appointments after four months (T2);4th appointment after five months (T3).
Results: The average plaque index is significantly higher in Control group compared to Text-messaging group at 3 and 4 months post-messaging follow-ups while incidence of white spot lesions is significantly higher in control group compared to the text-messaging group at 3 months and 4 months post-messaging follow-ups.
Conclusion: A text message reminder system explaining the importance of oral hygiene sent to patients once weekly is an effective way to improve oral hygiene compliance in orthodontic patients.
