Evidence map›Paper›PMID 26315196›Full record

ArticleBritish dental journal2015

The use of a mobile app to motivate evidence-based oral hygiene behaviour.

B Underwood, J Birdsall, E Kay

Abstract read
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in British dental journal, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 69 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
69citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

69 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Exploring mobile applications for oral health promotion: a randomized clinical trial.Canadian journal of dental hygiene : CJDH = Journal canadien de l'hygiene dentaire : JCHD · 2026
    Trial
  4. Trial
  5. Trial
  6. Trial
  7. Efficacy of a mobile phone application for the improvement of oral hygiene of patients undergoing fixed orthodontic treatment : A randomized controlled clinical trial.Journal of orofacial orthopedics = Fortschritte der Kieferorthopadie : Organ/official journal Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Kieferorthopadie · 2025
    Trial
  8. Trial
  9. Trial
  10. Trial
  11. Trial
  12. "BRUSH UP": AN INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGICAL AID FOR PARENTS TO KEEP A CHECK OF THEIR CHILDREN'S ORAL HYGIENE BEHAVIOUR.Revista paulista de pediatria : orgao oficial da Sociedade de Pediatria de Sao Paulo · 2021
    Trial
  13. Trial
  14. Trial
  15. Trial
  16. Review
  17. Review
  18. Review
  19. Article
  20. Article

9 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

B Underwood
J BirdsallThe Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust, Moorgate Road, Rotherham, S60 2UD.
E KayPeninsula Dental School, Plymouth, Devon, PL4 8AA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionMobile apps are software programmes that run on smartphones and other mobile devices. Mobile health apps can help people manage their own health and wellness, promote healthy living and gain access to useful information when and where they need it. The Brush DJ oral health app was developed to use the opportunity mobile apps offer to motivate an evidence-based oral hygiene routine. A literature review has found no research investigating the use of a mobile app to motivate evidence-based oral hygiene behaviour.

objectiveThe objective of this preliminary investigation was to assess user perception of an oral health app to give a basis for future research and development of app technology in relation to oral health.

methodA cross-sectional qualitative user perception questionnaire.

resultsOne hundred and eighty-nine people responded to the questionnaire. Seventy percent (n = 113) of respondents reported that their teeth felt cleaner since using the app. Eighty-eight percent (n = 133) reported the app motivated them to brush their teeth for longer and 92.3% (n = 144) would recommend the app to their friends and family. Four broad themes relating to how the app helped toothbrushing were reported. These themes were motivation, education, compliance and perceived benefits.

conclusionA mobile app is a promising tool to motivate an evidence-based oral hygiene routine.

Indexed as

Mobile ApplicationsMotivationOral HygieneAdolescentAdultAgedAged, 80 and overChildChild, PreschoolCross-Sectional StudiesHealth PromotionHumansMiddle AgedPerceptionPublic Health SurveillanceRisk

Identifiers

PMID26315196

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.