Effect of Text Message Interventions in Maintaining Gingival Health in Pregnant Women

Not Applicable

• Conditions: Oral Health; Pregnancy
• Interventions: Behavioral: mHealth

• Registration Number: NCT06594328
• Lead Sponsor: University of Lahore

Brief Summary

Gingivitis is a common condition, affecting more than 60% of pregnant women due to hormonal changes and inadequate plaque control. Left untreated, gingivitis can lead to more serious periodontal diseases and systemic inflammation, posing risks to overall health and reducing quality of life. Therefore, the study aims to assess the effectiveness of text messages in maintaining gingival health in pregnant women. The primary objective is to determine whether these reminders, which focus on proper brushing and flossing techniques, can reduce gingivitis and improve overall oral hygiene during pregnancy.

This research follows a two-group, parallel-arm, single-blind randomized control trial (RCT) design. The trial will be conducted at the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics at the University of Lahore Teaching Hospital. Eligible participants are adult pregnant women showing signs of gingivitis, excluding those with bleeding disorders or moderate to severe pre-existing periodontal disease. Participants are randomly assigned to either a control group or an intervention group using computer-generated randomization.

Both groups will undergo oral health assessments at baseline, using the Plaque Index (PI), Gingival Index (GI), and Bleeding on Probing (BOP) measures to gauge plaque buildup and gingival inflammation. Follow-up assessments will be conducted at 4-6 weeks and 12-16 weeks. The intervention group will receive a weekly text message reminding them to practice proper oral hygiene, such as brushing and flossing. Both groups will also receive in-person demonstrations of oral hygiene techniques to ensure standardized knowledge on effective oral care.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2024-08-01
• Status Verified: 2024-09
• Study First Submitted: 2024-09-05
• Study First Submitted QC: 2024-09-10
• Last Update Submitted: 2024-09-10
• Study First Posted: 2024-09-13
• Last Update Posted: 2024-09-13
• Primary Completion: 2025-02-28
• Study Completion: 2025-08-31

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: ENROLLING_BY_INVITATION
• Sex: Female
• Target Recruitment: 120

Inclusion Criteria

• Adult pregnant female in 2nd trimester.
• Access to a personal mobile phone.
• Suffering from gingivitis (> 10% sites with bleeding on probing)

Exclusion Criteria

• Bleeding disorders.
• Pre-existing moderate to severe periodontal disease.

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
mHealth	mHealth	participants of intervention group will receive text message reminder once a week on their mobile phones to brush and floss properly for the study duration

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Oral Health Status	1 year	Gingival index will be used to measure the oral health status of the mHealth and nonmHealth groups. The index is scored from 0-4. Once the scaling and root planning is done, half of the participants will be given mhealth message and half will not be given any message. After every three months the gingival index will be measured and compared to baseline (one achieved after treatment). The outcome is the maintenance of the gingival index at the same level post treatment or its improvement. Any deterioration will be considered a negative outcome.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

The University of Lahore Teaching Hospital; 🇵🇰 Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan