Evaluación de los conocimientos salud bucodental y el estado de higiene oral mediante la estrategia educativa en salud oral denominada “camaleón sonriente cuida tus dientes” para niños con discapacidad auditiva en edad escolar

Abstract

Introduction: The most prevalent oral diseases in children in Colombia are tooth decay and periodontal disease. In Colombia there is a teaching problem and few tools to treat this problem even more in a population at risk such as children with hearing disabilities. For this population there are few tools that help oral health, explaining the brushing technique, how to use oral hygiene accessories, that is why a visual aid instrument was created which can be interactive with patients. Objective: To determine the effectiveness of an oral health educational strategy in school-age children with and without hearing disabilities in different cities. Methodology: An experimental intervention study was carried out in children from 6 to 17 years old in a group with hearing disabilities in a school located in the city of Bogotá. The strategy consists of applying a video, a Pop - Up raised educational Primer, digital video game, coloring books and board games (puzzle and ladder). The design of the educational video was made with experts in sign language, the video was made by a specialist in video editing; the creation of the interactive digital game through software with the collaboration of systems engineers, the elaboration of the educational booklet "Pop Up" was done with the advice of a graphic designer. The strategy will be applied for 4 months. A survey will be applied to identify knowledge and social determinants in oral health and the Greene and Vermillion plaque index will be applied before and after applying the educational strategy, to evaluate the effectiveness of the educational strategy. Results: In view of the global public health situation on COVID-19, we were only able to take some preliminary results, collected from the initial survey, Greene and Vermillion initial plaque index, and qualitative expressions of in the video projection, with the participation of 15 students between the ages of 4 to 15 years. The initial knowledge was very positive, however in terms of the use of oral health elements some shortcomings were found. Conclusions: The 4 communication barrier was evidenced in the application of the first activities that are stipulated in the strategy schedule; Within the basic knowledge of oral hygiene, the use of dental floss and mouthwash were subjects where there was less knowledge, however the initial impact was generally very positive, optimal attention was obtained from the students with a very active participation within of the activities.