Motivating patients to ensure oral hygiene compliance

Dental nurses are part of the team who care for patients seeking advice and treatment for periodontal conditions and it is important that they recognise the difficulties these patients may encounter in understanding their role in the personal involvement required for successful care.

Periodontal diseases are a group of inflammatory conditions, either acute or chronic, characterised by the tissue response to the presence of dental plaque (Armitage, 2013). By their very nature, as with any inflammatory condition, these are likely to give recurrent problems and require long-term management. Properly supervised, patients can be encouraged to manage the majority of the care required to maintain their oral hygiene.