Development and evaluation of the "Toothbrushing Timer with Information on Toothbrushes" application: A prospective...

Area of Science:

• Oral Health
• Digital Health Interventions
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Maintaining adequate toothbrushing time is crucial for oral hygiene.
• Current methods for tracking brushing duration and accessing dental information are often inadequate.
• Developing accessible tools can enhance public oral health awareness and practices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the preliminary utility of a mobile application designed to assist users with appropriate toothbrushing duration.
• To assess the impact of the app on users' oral health practices, self-efficacy, and quality of life.
• To explore the effectiveness of a digital tool in promoting dental hygiene awareness.

Main Methods:

• A mobile application integrating a toothbrushing timer and dental product information was developed.
• Eighteen participants were enrolled; 13 completed a 1-month follow-up.
• Questionnaires assessed oral health practice, self-efficacy, and oral health-related quality of life (Oral Health Impact Profile-14) at baseline and follow-up.

Main Results:

• Participants demonstrated improved oral health practices and self-efficacy after using the app.
• A significant decrease in Oral Health Impact Profile-14 scores indicated enhanced quality of life related to oral health.
• While trends were positive, statistically significant differences were not achieved in this pilot study.

Conclusions:

• The developed application shows promise as a tool for improving oral health awareness and practices.
• The pilot study suggests the app is beneficial for users' oral hygiene and quality of life.
• Larger, high-quality clinical trials are recommended to confirm these findings and further evaluate the app's efficacy.