Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37389693›Full record

Trial reportClinical oral investigations2023

Plaque removal efficacy of a new toothbrush with a double-sided head and rotating handle-a pilot randomized control trial in acquired brain injury patients.

Eliane García Mato, Lucía Sande López, Marcio Diniz Freitas, María Teresa Abeleira Pazos, Jacobo Limeres Posse, Pedro Diz Dios, Berta Rivas Mundiña

Open access · hybridAbstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in Clinical oral investigations, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
1.2field-weighted citation impact, top 23% of its field
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

5 citing papers in PubMed, 6 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Bioinformation · 2026
    Article
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  5. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Eliane García MatoMedical-Surgical Dentistry Research Group (OMEQUI), Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), University of Santiago de Compostela (USC), 15782 A, Santiago de Compostela, Coruña, Spain.
Lucía Sande LópezMedical-Surgical Dentistry Research Group (OMEQUI), Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), University of Santiago de Compostela (USC), 15782 A, Santiago de Compostela, Coruña, Spain.
Marcio Diniz FreitasMedical-Surgical Dentistry Research Group (OMEQUI), Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), University of Santiago de Compostela (USC), 15782 A, Santiago de Compostela, Coruña, Spain.
María Teresa Abeleira PazosMedical-Surgical Dentistry Research Group (OMEQUI), Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), University of Santiago de Compostela (USC), 15782 A, Santiago de Compostela, Coruña, Spain.
Jacobo Limeres PosseMedical-Surgical Dentistry Research Group (OMEQUI), Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), University of Santiago de Compostela (USC), 15782 A, Santiago de Compostela, Coruña, Spain. jacobo.limeres@usc.es.
Pedro Diz DiosMedical-Surgical Dentistry Research Group (OMEQUI), Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), University of Santiago de Compostela (USC), 15782 A, Santiago de Compostela, Coruña, Spain.
Berta Rivas MundiñaMedical-Surgical Dentistry Research Group (OMEQUI), Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), University of Santiago de Compostela (USC), 15782 A, Santiago de Compostela, Coruña, Spain.
Universidade de Santiago de Compostela · ESInstituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Santiago · ES

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesTo assess the efficacy of a new toothbrush (Balene) for the mechanical removal of dental plaque in patients with acquired brain injury. MATERIAL AND

methodsThe study group consisted of 25 adults with acquired brain injury. The participants underwent 2 sessions of toothbrushing lasting 1 min, one with a conventional toothbrush and the other with the Balene toothbrush. This new double-headed toothbrush has 6 active sides, which allows for the simultaneous toothbrushing of both alveolar arches, with elastomer bristles angled at 45°, as well a handle that rotates up to 180°. Therefore, the user does not need to remove the toothbrush from the oral cavity during the toothbrushing process. Dental plaque accumulation was assessed using the simplified oral hygiene index of Greene and Vermillion.

resultsThe plaque index was significantly reduced both with the Balene toothbrush (p < 0.001) and with the conventional toothbrush (p < 0.001). The dental plaque removal efficacy was similar with the two toothbrushes. There were also no statistically significant differences in the removal of plaque with the Balene toothbrush between the autonomous and assisted toothbrushing modalities (p = 0.345).

conclusionsFor patients with acquired brain injury, the Balene toothbrush was as effective as a conventional toothbrush, regardless of whether the toothbrushing modality was autonomous or assisted. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The Balene® toothbrush's efficacy in removing dental plaque is similar to that of conventional toothbrushes, both with the autonomous and assisted toothbrushing modality. Given its particular ergonomics, this toothbrush could be indicated for certain select patients with acquired brain injury (i.e., those whose degree of cooperation allows for toothbrushing, with a sufficient mouth opening, with no substantial abnormalities in the intermaxillary relationship, and with no significant edentulous sections).

Indexed as

Dental PlaqueToothbrushingAdultDental Plaque IndexEquipment DesignHumansMouthPilot ProjectsSingle-Blind MethodAcquired brain injuryDental plaqueErgonomicsToothbrush

Identifiers

PMID37389693
PMCPMC10415501
OpenAlexW4382632607

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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.