Background: School aged adolescents are in particular need of preventive program to ensure positive long-term oral health and hygiene. However, due to lack of health education and insufficient preventive measures, the oral health status of these students is not always good resulting in high morbidity. The objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of an oral health education intervention on oral hygiene knowledge, attitude and practices (KAP), plaque control and gingival health

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... g 12-15 years old school children in Dharan sub-metropolitan city, Nepal.Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted with parallel study groups, comprising 12-15-year-old school children, 120 in each group (experimental and control group). Interview of the participants were done using a 23-item questionnaire for assessment of oral hygiene knowledge, attitude and practices (KAP). Oral examination was done using mouth mirror and WHO probe to record Turesky-Gilmore-Glickman modification of the Quigley-Hein plaque index (1970), Gingival index (Loe H and Silness J 1963) and Dentition status and treatment needs at baseline and third and sixth months of the study period. Analysis was done using chi-square test for categorical data and Independent t test, repeated ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis test, Friedman test, Mann-Whitney U test for quantitative data. The level of significance was set at p<0.05.Results: There was 54.58% improvement in overall oral hygiene KAP in experimental group (p=0.001) whereas no improvement was seen in control group after 6 months of intervention. The mean plaque score was improved by 57.67% (p=0.001) in experimental group in comparison to 4.56% in control group. Gingival index was improved by 49.90% (p=0.001) in experimental group in comparison to 0.7% (p=0.05) in control group. Caries experience was increased in both groups but no significant difference was seen.Conclusions: The study concluded that oral health education was effective in improving oral hygiene KAP, plaque control and gingival health.Trial registration: The trial was retrospectively registered with Clinical Trial Registry India (CTRI) with identifier no. CTRI/2018/05/013985, registered on 05/21/2018. (http://www.ctri.nic.in/Clinicaltrials/pdf_generate.php?trialid=23651&EncHid=&modid=&compid=%27,%2723651det%27). Institutional Review Committee, B. P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences (BPKIHS), Dharan, Nepal provided the ethical approval (Ref. No.: 292/074/075-IRC).