A Short-term Evaluation of Oral Hygiene Education Methods in Fixed Orthodontics Patients: A Randomized Clinical Trial Comparing Assistant Training, Software, and Social Media

Abstract Objective: To compare the effectiveness of different oral hygiene education strategies on periodontal health in fixed orthodontic patients in a one-month period: assistant-led instruction, social media-based education, and custom-made software. Methods: Sixty orthodontic patients from Mashhad University of Medical Sciences' Dentistry School were randomly assigned into three groups. Each group received oral health education differently: via assistant instruction, educational videos on social media, or a researcher-designed software for Android smartphones. After a month, participants' oral health was evaluated using the plaque index (PI) and the gingival index (GI). Results: Assistant-led education group demonstrated the highest PI (1.26 ± 0.70) and GI (0.92 ± 0.67), while the software group reported the lowest indices (PI = 0.68, GI = 0.46 ± 0.46). The social media group's measurements fell between these extremes (PI = 0.89 ± 0.75, GI = 0.60 ± 0.52). Significant group differences were found for both PI and GI (P = 0.028 and P = 0.047, respectively). Pairwise comparison revealed significantly lower PI and GI in the software group compared to the assistant group. No significant differences were found between the social media and other groups. Conclusion: Our results suggest that the use of specially designed software could be the most effective strategy for improving oral hygiene in orthodontic patients. Meanwhile, traditional assistant-led education showed the least effectiveness. The study supports the potential benefit of utilizing digital tools, such as bespoke software and social media, in oral health education for orthodontic patients.