Treatment Success and User-Friendliness of An Electric Toothbrush App: A Pilot Study

Area of Science:

• Digital health technologies in dentistry
• Oral hygiene practices and technology integration

Background:

• Electronic and mobile health (eHealth/mHealth) are increasingly important in medicine.
• Digitalization is an emerging trend in dentistry, with new applications being developed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness and user experience of a digital application (app) designed to improve tooth brushing accuracy.
• To compare app-assisted electric toothbrushing against conventional electric toothbrushing in plaque removal.

Main Methods:

• A single-blinded, randomized controlled trial involving twenty volunteers.
• Participants were divided into a test group (electric toothbrush with app) and a control group (electric toothbrush without app).
• Plaque index was measured before and after a 2-week study period; the test group also completed a user-friendliness questionnaire.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in plaque index reduction were found between the app-assisted group (8.5% improvement) and the control group (4.7% improvement).
• Fifty percent of test group participants reported better cleaning and would recommend the app, despite marginal plaque removal improvement.
• The app's contribution to plaque removal was minimal, but it showed potential as a motivational tool.

Conclusions:

• Current dental brushing apps may not significantly enhance plaque removal effectiveness on their own.
• These digital tools show promise as motivational aids for improving oral hygiene habits.
• Further research and development are recommended for optimizing the efficacy of dental health applications.