The implications of oral health education interventions in providing oral hygiene care for individuals with visual impairment: A systematic review

INTRODUCTION: Individuals with visual impairment (VI) are doubly disadvantaged by their lack of vision and poor oral hygiene (OH). Implementing oral health education (OHE) interventions should be set as goals to improve OH status and prevent oral diseases. However, few studies have examined the specific teaching method of OH skills. This study aimed to identify the most influential OHE interventions enabling individuals with VI worldwide, especially those in countries where VI is most frequent, to maintain OH and improve knowledge and practices.

METHODS: An extensive literature review was conducted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis method. This study systematically searched electronic databases (PubMed via Medline, Cochrane, Embase, and Google Scholar) using expert-validated keywords, complemented by manual searches, to identify relevant articles published between April 1, 2012, and September 30, 2022.

RESULT: PICOS criteria were formulated for study inclusion. The bibliographical search identified 1485 articles, which were subsequently filtered. Two researchers separately screened the articles for eligibility and to reduce the risk of bias in the included studies. Finally, the most pertinent 21 articles were scrutinized for data synthesis.

CONCLUSION: Most studies identified combination methods, including customized educational demonstrations, as the best at improving OH status, knowledge, and practices. However, long-term, rigorously designed, and effective patient-centered communication trials, including those on innovative methods, are still needed for individuals with VI.