Effect of Mobile Health on Plaque Control Efficacy in Molars With Furcation Involvement: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

Furcation involvement (FI) is recognized as one of the most critical factors determining the complexity and prognosis of periodontitis affecting molar teeth. The etiologies of furcation involvement may include anatomic factors, extension of inflammatory periodontal diseases, trauma from occlusion, pulpo-periodontal diseases, and root fracture involving furcation. Several morphological characteristics of roots and furcation lead to poor prognosis of affected teeth. When left untreated, periodontal destruction in furcation areas tends to progress horizontally toward the central portion of the furcation as well as vertically in an apical direction along the root surfaces. Inadequate plaque control in anatomically complex furcation areas causes persistent inflammation which may cause progression of interradicular bone loss.

The prevalence of furcation involvement in mandibular molars was 50% in the population aged 40 years and above. The prevalence of advanced furcation involvement in mandibular first molars showed no significant difference between buccal and lingual sites. Molar teeth with furcation involvement are the most commonly lost.

The anatomical complexity of furcation makes plaque control difficult. Several microbes present in plaque lead to progression of periodontitis and lead to accelerated alveolar bone loss. The use of interdental aids as an adjunct to routine oral hygiene instructions has been advised for plaque control in the furcal areas, as they have been known to decrease subgingival bacterial count and gingival inflammation, and may decrease the possibility of further progress of periodontal disease in these affected sites. However, poor compliance with interdental hygiene measures due to lack of perceived benefits serves as a deterrent to effective plaque control.

Mobile health (mHealth) is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as "medical and public health practice supported by mobile devices, such as mobile phones, patient monitoring devices, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and other wireless devices." India has approximately 1.15 billion mobile phone subscribers, comprising nearly 625 million urban and 524 million rural users, and ranks second globally in mobile phone connectivity, making the integration of mHealth into healthcare delivery highly feasible. mHealth offers real-time communication between patients and healthcare providers, thereby enhancing treatment delivery and follow-up. Evidence from the medical field suggests that mHealth interventions can be effective adjuncts in patient self-management, particularly in chronic conditions such as type 2 diabetes. In dentistry, the use of mHealth as an adjunctive tool in the management of gingivitis and in improving daily self-performed oral hygiene practices has been documented in previous literature.

Research indicates that regular prompts and reminders are effective in promoting and reinforcing healthy habits. The average time required to form a habit is approximately 66 days, with a reported range of 18 to 254 days. In periodontal patients, improvements in oral hygiene performance have been attributed to repetition and reinforcement of oral hygiene instructions. It has been documented that text messaging is effective in promoting behavioral change in the management of chronic diseases. Text messages facilitate behavioral modification and enhance health knowledge by providing guidance, warnings, reminders, positive reinforcement, and feedback. Furthermore, text messaging interventions have demonstrated effectiveness in the prevention and management of conditions such as obesity, smoking, and diabetes.