Individualized oral hygiene home visits for children with special needs

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the 6-month effects of an applied oral hygiene education program delivered through homevisits for children with special needs in Istanbul. Additionally, the study seeks to establish an individualized oral health monitoringprogram and promote non-cariogenic dietary habits.Methods and Results: The study included 279 children with special needs aged 1–8 years. Participants’ oral hygiene practices,dietary habits, and dental health status were compared before and after the education program. Plaque levels were assessed usingthe Silness-Löe Plaque Index, and Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) levels were measured using the Saliva-Check Mutans test kit.After the intervention, the proportion of children brushing twice daily increased from 13.8% to 33% (p < 0.05), while the percentageof children with moderate plaque levels decreased from 40.1% to 26.5%. Additionally, the proportion of children with S. mutanslevels exceeding 105 CFU/mL decreased significantly from 91.3% to 68.0% (p < 0.005).Conclusion: Individualized oral hygiene education was found to be effective in improving oral health in children with specialneeds. Significant reductions in plaque levels and S. mutans concentrations were observed, along with increased parentalawareness. Future multidimensional educational programs incorporating home visits may play a crucial role in maintaininglong-term oral hygiene habits in children with special needs.