Trial reportPloS one2020
Effectiveness of a digital device providing real-time visualized tooth brushing instructions: A randomized controlled trial.
Trial report in PloS one, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 12 papers.
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.
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.
Who cites it
12 citing papers in PubMed, 18 citations in OpenAlex.
- Exploring mobile applications for oral health promotion: a randomized clinical trial.Canadian journal of dental hygiene : CJDH = Journal canadien de l'hygiene dentaire : JCHD · 2026Trial
- Effects of periodontal disease prediction system on oral hygiene motivation in patients with periodontitis: a prospective randomized controlled clinical study.Clinical oral investigations · 2025Trial
- Effectiveness of internet-based nursing interventions for the treatment of patients with periodontitis.BMC oral health · 2024Trial
- Varying responses to periodontal treatment in different extent of plaque-induced gingivitis: a prospective cohort study.Clinical oral investigations · 2025Article
- The Effect of Visual Feedback on Plaque Control: An RCT Comparing Toothbrushing Methods in Periodontitis Patients.Journal of clinical medicine · 2025Article
- The effect of text message-based health guidelines reinforcement on clinical outcomes following non-surgical periodontal therapy: A randomized clinical trial.Journal of education and health promotion · 2025Article
- Development and evaluation of the "Toothbrushing Timer with Information on Toothbrushes" application: A prospective cohort pilot study.Clinical and experimental dental research · 2023Article
- The Use of Patient-Oriented Mobile Phone Apps in Oral Health: Scoping Review.JMIR mHealth and uHealth · 2023Article
- Behavioral Interventions on Periodontitis Patients to Improve Oral Hygiene: A Systematic Review.Journal of clinical medicine · 2023Review
- Effectiveness of Smart Applications of Oral Hygiene Instructions on Periodontal Health Compared to Oral Information: A Prospective Study.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Article
- A Global, In-Market Evaluation of Toothbrushing Behaviour and Self-assessed Gingival Bleeding with Use of App Data from an Interactive Electric Toothbrush.Oral health & preventive dentistry · 2022Article
- Comparison of Effectiveness of Mobile App versus Conventional Educational Lectures on Oral Hygiene Knowledge and Behavior of High School Students in Saudi Arabia.Patient preference and adherence · 2020Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
11 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
introductionThe aim of this trial was to investigate whether a digital device that provides real-time visualized brushing instructions would contribute to the removal of dental plaque over usual brushing instructions.
methodsWe conducted a single-center, parallel-group, stratified permuted block randomized control trial with 1:1 allocation ratio. Eligibility criteria included people aged ≥ 18 years, and exclude people who met the following criteria: severely crowded teeth; using interdental cleaning implement; having external injury in the oral cavity, or stomatitis; having less than 20 teeth; using orthodontic apparatus; visited to a dental clinic; having the possibility of consulting a dental clinic; having a dental license; not owning a smartphone or tablet device; smoker; taken antibiotics; pregnant; an allergy to the staining fluid; and employee of Sunstar Inc. All participants received tooth brushing instructions using video materials and were randomly assigned to one of two groups for four weeks: (1) an intervention group who used the digital device, providing real-time visualized instructions by connection with a mobile application; and (2) a control group that used a digital device which only collected their brushing logs. The primary outcome was the change in 6-point method plaque control record (PCR) score of all teeth between baseline and week 4. The t-test was used to compare the two groups in accordance with intention-to-treat principles.
resultsAmong 118 enrolled individuals, 112 participants were eligible for our analyses. The mean of PCR score at week 4 was 45.05% in the intervention group and 49.65% in the control group, and the change of PCR score from baseline was -20.46% in the intervention group and -15.77% in the control group (p = 0.088, 95% confidence interval -0.70-10.07).
conclusionsA digital device providing real-time visualized brushing instructions may be effective for the removal of dental plaque.
Indexed as
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
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.