Play-Based Vs. Traditional Oral Health Education In Children

To determine whether play-based oral health education is more effective than traditional methods in improving children’s oral health knowledge and plaque index scores. Participants: 240 children (ages 6-12), divided into two groups. Group 1: Received traditional oral health education using PowerPoint and models (12 sessions over one year). Group 2: Received play- based education with interactive games, in addition to PowerPoint and models (12 sessions over one year). Assessments: Oral health knowledge and plaque index scores were recorded three times: before intervention, after six months, and after one year. Children in Group 2 exhibited higher awareness scores and improved plaque index results in the second and third assessments compared to Group1. Play-based oral health education is a highly effective and engaging approach to improving children’s dental hygiene and preventing oral diseases. It leads to better knowledge retention and improved oral health outcomes, making it a strong alternative to traditional teaching methods.