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Co-creating a toothbrushing intervention for adults with severe mental illness

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 November 2025

Easter Joury*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, UK Division of Dentistry, University of Manchester, UK
Elizabeth Steed
Affiliation:
Wolfson Institute, Queen Mary University of London, UK
Ellie Heidari
Affiliation:
Department of Sedation and Special Care Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Oral and Craniofacial Sciences, King’s College London, and Guy’s Hospital, London, UK
Feema Francis
Affiliation:
East of England NHS England, Cambridge, UK
MHD Bahaa Aldin Alhaffar
Affiliation:
Department of Global Public Health Sciences, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
Shanaz Begum
Affiliation:
Tower Hamlets Early Detection Service, London, UK
Carolyn A. Chew-Graham
Affiliation:
School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Keele University, Newcastle-under-Lyme, UK
Kamaldeep Bhui
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, UK Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, Wadham College, University of Oxford, UK East London Health NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
*
Correspondence: Easter Joury. Email: easter.joury@psych.ox.ac.uk
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Abstract

Background

People with severe mental Illness (SMI) bear an excessive burden of periodontal disease, which can exacerbate their mental and physical multimorbidity. Therefore, improving and sustaining good oral hygiene is key.

Aims

To co-create a theory-driven oral hygiene intervention for people with SMI.

Method

A two-stage, eight-step method was followed drawing on the Behaviour Change Wheel. Stage 1, understanding the problem, involved evidence review and stakeholder consultations. Stage 2 focused on identifying theoretical barriers and facilitators through semi-structured interviews (n = 20) and co-designing the intervention content alongside people with SMI, carers, primary care, mental health and dental professionals and clinical leads. Interview data were analysed using framework analysis. Identified barriers and facilitators were mapped to the Capability, Opportunity, Motivation–Behaviour model and Theoretical Domain Framework. Intervention functions, policy categories and behaviour change techniques were identified and mapped accordingly.

Results

The target behaviour of twice-daily toothbrushing was addressed through understanding the consequences of improving oral health and brushing, forming a brushing habit, brushing instructions and demonstration with consideration of cognitive capacity and exploring the need for financial and social support. Recommendations for intervention delivery included integrating it into the SMI physical health checks, training and remunerating primary care and mental health professionals to deliver it as part of a personalised and integrated care approach to rebuilding broader lifestyle routines; and maintaining engagement through follow-up appointments.

Conclusions

This is the first study to co-create a theory-driven toothbrushing intervention for people with SMI, delivered by primary care and mental health professionals.

Information

Type
Paper
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BYCreative Common License - ND
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/), which permits re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided that no alterations are made and the original article is properly cited.
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Royal College of Psychiatrists
Figure 0

Fig. 1 Stages and steps involved in the co-creation of the Restart Smiling toothbrushing intervention for people with severe mental illness (SMI).

Figure 1

Table 1 Participants’ sociodemographic characteristics

Figure 2

Table 2 Matrix of the links between what needs to happen for brushing to occur, COM-B and TDF domains, interventions functions, policy categories and examples of identified behaviour change techniques (BCTs)

Figure 3

Table 3 Identified behaviour change techniques (BCTs) according to BCT Taxonomy v1a

Figure 4

Fig. 2 The Restart Smiling toothbrushing intervention components. SMI, severe mental illness.

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