Evaluation of oral hygiene index, monitoring and oral hygiene instruction in visually impaired people

Resumo

Eyesight can be considered a major human interaction
promoter in motor, perceptual and mental activities and its loss
can cause social environment changes. Objective: To evaluate
and determine Simplified Oral Hygiene Index (OHI-S) in visually
impaired individuals, as well as to provide information to promote
oral health, to verify the effectiveness of educational activities for
index change and to promote the social inclusion of visually impaired
people. Material and methods: Study population was constituted
by 28 visually impaired people of both genders, aged from 14 to
75 years old, residents and students at the Parana Institute for
the Blind (IPC), Curitiba (PR, Brazil). The study was conducted
in three stages. At first, the participants individually answered a
questionnaire, performed tooth brushing and then the disclosure of
oral biofilm was made, as well as the evaluation of Simplified Oral
Hygiene Index, oral hygiene instruction and supervised toothbrushing.
The second step was performed after seven days and the third
after thirty days to reassess the Simplified Oral Hygiene Index to
check whether there would a change in their values. Participants
were divided into two groups according to Simplified Oral Hygiene
Index: those who had only bacterial plaque and those who had plaque and calculus. Results: At the first day, patients with plaque
and calculus had initial OHI-S mean of 2.3 (regular), 2.1 (regular)
after seven days, and 2.4 (regular) after one month. Patients with
only plaque at the first day had an average OHI-S of 0.71 (regular),
0.74 (regular) after seven days, and 0.78 (regular) after one month.
Conclusion: Within this context, it is possible to understand that
it is necessary to implement frequent supervised toothbrushing,
oral instruction and motivation activities to promote wellness and
health for these patients.