International Journal of Dental Sciences

Authors
Ida Chairanna

Abstract
Introdcution: Most children with special needs have dental caries and are unable to maintain their oral hygiene by themselves due to limited physical developmental conditions, behavior, or emotions. Objective: To analyze the effect of tooth brushing demonstration method towards oral hygiene level on children with special needs. Methods: This type of research was used Quasi-Experimental Research to determine the condition before and after treatment. The instrument used was a checklist for brushing teeth, with observations of the OHI-S examination. Samples were 30 children with special needs in Galuh Handayani Inclusion Elementary School, Surabaya. Data analysis used the Wilcoxon and Mann Whitney statistical tests. Result and Discussion: With the Wilcoxon test, there were significant changes in skills and OHI-S in the treatment group with p = 0,001 <0,005 (skills) and p = 0,001 <0,005 (OHI-S). In the control group for skills there was no significant change and for OHI-S there was a change, but it was not significant. The results of the next analysis, the Mann Whitney test obtained p = 0.001 <0.05 means that there was a significant difference in practice and OHI-S values between the treatment and control groups. Interventions were had given to the treatment group had an influence on changes in the value of practice and OHI-S compared to the control group without intervention. Conclusion: There is a change in the ability to brush the teeth of children with special needs in the treatment group due to the demonstration method.