SynthesisInternational journal of dental hygiene2025
The Effectiveness of Power Versus Manual Toothbrushes on Plaque Removal and Gingival Health in Children-A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Synthesis in International journal of dental hygiene, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled 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.
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
4 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Biodegradable vs. conventional toothbrushes for biofilm control: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials.Frontiers in oral health · 2026Pooled it
- Plaque Reduction Efficacy of an Advanced Electric Toothbrush Compared with a Manual Toothbrush Among 6- to 10-Year-Old Children: Results From a 4-Week Randomised Controlled Trial.International journal of paediatric dentistry · 2026Trial
- Plaque removal using powered and manual toothbrushes in children with and without attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a randomized controlled trial.BMC oral health · 2026Trial
- Subgingival Plaque Removal Efficacy and Oral Soft Tissue Safety of the Wave Electric Toothbrush: An In Vitro and In Vivo Study.Dentistry journal · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
Abstract
objectiveThe objective of this systematic review was to assess the efficacy of self-brushing using a single-head power toothbrush(PTB) in comparison to a single-head manual toothbrush(MTB) in terms of plaque removal and reduction of gingivitis in children. MATERIALS AND
methodsMEDLINE-PubMed and Cochrane CENTRAL were searched up to November 2023. The inclusion criteria comprised randomised clinical trials involving healthy children up to the age of 18 years who did not have fixed orthodontic appliances. Included papers assessed the impact of self-administered toothbrushing using a rechargeable PTB compared to an MTB on plaque removal and gingivitis. Data extraction was conducted, and the risk of bias was evaluated. A descriptive analysis, a meta-analysis, and subgroup analysis, when feasible, were carried out.
resultsThe search yielded 12 eligible publications, encompassing 30 relevant comparisons. Results showed a significant difference of means (DiffM) on plaque scores in favour of the PTB. Both the end and incremental difference scores indicated a significant difference in effect in favour of the PTB for single-use brushing (DiffM-end = -0.26 (95% CI [-0.31; -0.21]; p < 0.00001)|DiffM-difference = -0.26 (95% CI [-0.31; -0.21]; p < 0.00001)) and also for follow-up studies (DiffM-end = -0.22 (95% CI [-0.36; -0.07]; p = 0.004)|DiffM-difference = -0.34 (95% CI [-0.45; -0.23]; p < 0.00001)). The meta-analysis on gingival index scores showed no significant difference. Subgroup analysis was only possible for the follow-up studies. For the OR mode of action, a significant difference of means for plaque scores was found (DiffM-end = -0.19 (95% CI [-0.37; -0.01]; p = 0.04)|DiffM-difference = -0.22 (95% CI [-0.43; -0.01]; p = 0.04)). The subgroup analysis contained only studies with a low risk of bias.
conclusionsThere is moderate evidence that in children a PTB offers a small advantage in plaque removal over an MTB. This evidence primarily pertains to PTBs with an OR mode of action. REGISTRATION: PROSPERO: #CRD42023144871; ACTA: #2023-75707.
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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.