Effectiveness of a digital device providing real-time visualized tooth brushing instructions: A randomized controlled trial.

The 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. We 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. Among 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). A digital device providing real-time visualized brushing instructions may be effective for the removal of dental plaque.

Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts

The authors have read the journal’s policy, and the authors have the following competing interests to declare: NT, MN, and YO are employees of Sunstar Inc. (manufacturer of GUMPLAY, the study device in this project). GUMPLAY has been on the market since before the start of research. It was supplied and used to conduct the study, however, there was no other conflict of interest to declare. This does not alter our adherence to PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials. There are no patents, products in development associated with this research to declare.