Effectiveness of School Nurses promoting Oral Health among 7-15 Years old School Children in Nepal

Background Gingival diseases and dental caries are significant global burdens, especially in low- and middle income countries. The Nepal government has initiated the One School, One Nurse program in the county since 2019. The study aimed to assess the efficacy of school nurses leading in promoting oral health among schoolchildren in Nepal. Methods A prospective cohort study was conducted among 324 students (aged 7–15) from three different government schools with school nurses in the Kavre district of Nepal. An intervention group received weekly reinforced oral health education from a trained school nurse. A semi-intervention group received a single education session, while a control group didn't receive any training or intervention. Expert dentists collected baseline and three months of follow-up data on dental caries, plaque index, and gingival index. Results Baseline data recorded high dental caries prevalence in both primary (48.9%) and permanent dentition (46.8%). Students (52.9%) brush their teeth occasionally, and 46.2% of them use non-fluoridated toothpaste. There was a significant reduction in the plaque score (2.06 ± 0.63 to 1.50 ± 0.54) in the intervention group compared to the semi-intervention and control groups (2.06 to 2.02 and 2.18 to 2.06). There was improved gingival bleeding in the intervention group (3.4 ± ± 2.47 to 1.32 ± 1.20), whereas minimal improvement was observed in the semi-intervention group, and oral health status remained unchanged or worsened in the control group. Conclusion School nurses play a significant role in improving the gingival health of school children and are effective in promoting oral health among the school children, especially in the low- and middle-income countries where there is no provision of school dental nurses.