Impact of Oral Health Education on Visually Impaired Adolescents in Tamil Nadu: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Aim: To assess and compare the effectiveness of two educational approaches for oral health among visually impaired adolescents aged 10-21 years in Tamil Nadu.

Materials and methods: A randomized controlled trial with a double-blind, parallel-arm design was carried out among visually impaired adolescents, with an estimated sample size of 370. Participants were randomly assigned to group A (Braille and audio aids) or group B (Braille, audio, Audio Tactile Performance technique, and Novel Tactile Graphics). Assessments were conducted at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months, including the improvement in plaque score, gingival score, and oral health knowledge. Data were analyzed using Student's t-test and Chi-squared test, with p < 0.05 considered statistically significant.

Results: When compared to group A, group B demonstrated a significant reduction in plaque and gingival index scores at follow-ups compared to baseline (p < 0.05), indicating improved oral hygiene, gingival health, and plaque control, which was statistically significant p < 0.05, underscoring the superior efficacy of the intervention. Mean plaque scores post intervention were 1.46 ± 0.48 (group A) and 1.44 ± 0.74 (group B); mean gingival scores were 1.54 ± 0.45 (group A) and 1.36 ± 0.32 (group B), with statistically significant differences (p < 0.05). The intragroup comparisons showed statistically significant differences from baseline to 6 months for both groups.

Conclusion: The findings of this study revealed that the oral health education techniques, like audio-tactile performance (ATP), tactile graphics, were more effective than the traditional combination of Audio and Braille text in promoting proper oral hygiene among visually impaired children.

Clinical significance: Visually impaired adolescents face barriers to oral health education. The use of ATP with Novel Tactile Graphics offers an effective, accessible, and user-friendly educational tool to improve oral health among visually impaired adolescents. These results highlight the importance of multisensory, interactive approaches in overcoming educational barriers and improving health outcomes in special-needs populations.