Impact of a single information session with oral hygiene instructions on unaccompanied minor asylum seekers living in Switzerland

Abstract

Asylum-seeking adolescents who have passed the age of mandatory schooling may not have had the opportunity to receive oral hygiene instructions (OHI) similar to Swiss adolescents. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of a single information session with OHI on both the knowledge about the consequences of lacking oral hygiene and the likelihood of implementing these instructions in unaccompanied adolescent asylum seekers living in Switzerland. Before and after a single information session with OHI, adolescent asylum seekers in two asylum centres (Menziken and Suhr, AG) were surveyed with written questionnaires. During the event, the consequences of lacking oral hygiene on oral health were explained and the Bass brushing technique was instructed and practised.

The present analysis included 30 male asylum seekers aged 15-18. In total, 90% (n=27) cleaned their teeth daily and 70% (n=13) had received previous OHI at their school (19.1%) or a doctor's office (9.5%) in their country of origin or in Switzerland (19.1%), respectively. Following the event, 90% (n=27) stated they had learned something new and 93.3% (n=28) wanted to implement the instructions in their daily routine. While 63.3% (n=19) of the respondents knew the consequences of lacking oral hygiene on oral health before the event, this value increased to 96.7% (n=29) reaching statistical significance (p=0.0039).

In conclusion, the results of the present study suggest that the implementation of a single information session with OHI in asylum centres may improve the level of knowledge in adolescent asylum seekers and their oral health.