Effectiveness of Fluoride varnish in adjunct to Oral health education in caries prevention among prisoners of Haryana. A randomized controlled trial

The effectiveness of fluoride varnish in preventing caries in adults is still not known clearly. Recommendations for topical fluoride use are based on expert opinion, extrapolating the evidence from permanent teeth of children and adolescents so very few studies exist in adults. Our study will be conducted to fill this critical gap in the use of fluoride varnish in adults particularly those at high risk of developing dental caries.Aim of the study is to find outthe effectiveness of fluoride varnish with oral health education vs oral health education in the prevention of caries among prisoners of Haryana.A 12-month randomized control trial with a parallel-group design will be conducted in the Jails of Haryana. The participants will be randomly divided into a control group and an experimental consisting of 200 participants each. In group 1 or the control group following recruitment, the participants will receive a questionnaire regarding knowledge attitude, and practice which will be followed by a standardized oral health education session of about 20 to 30 minutes. Posters and charts will be used for the same. Participants will be encouraged to ask questions. A tooth brushing demonstration will be done using a brushing model and a toothbrush. To reinforce this a poster will be displayed on the premises of the jail. Subsequent appointments will be scheduled at 1 month, 6 months until the end of the follow-up period. In the experimental group or Fluoride Varnish with Oral Health Education group,the participants will get oral health as outlined for Group 1 as well as professional application of 5% sodium fluoride varnish semi-annually. For oral health education, they will receive a questionnaire regarding knowledge attitude, and practice which will be followed by a standardized oral health education session of about 20 to 30 minutes. Posters and charts will be used for the same. Participants will be encouraged to ask questions. A tooth brushing demonstration will be done using a brushing model and a toothbrush. To reinforce this a poster will be displayed on the premises of the jail and Subsequent appointments will be scheduled at 1 month, 6 months until the end of the follow-up period. The dentist will use cotton to remove any extra saliva, clean, dry, and isolate the patient’s teeth using cotton rolls. Following that, using a disposable brush, the dentist will apply a 5% fluoride varnish to all of the patient’s tooth surfaces, and afterward, they will leave it on for one minute. The participants will be told to close their mouths to enable the varnish to dry out after application. They will be told not to brush until the following day and not to consume anything rough (abrasive) for the rest of the day. Oral Health related Quality of Life will be assessed using OHIP-14