A Comparative Study to Evaluate the Effectiveness of Different Modes of Oral Health Education Aids in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of different oral health education aids in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

The present study included a total of 90 children with ASD aged 10-15 years. The children were assigned to three groups. Group A was provided oral health education using visual cards, group B with a mobile-based application (Brush Monster™), and group C with video modeling. All the children were screened to note the plaque and gingival index (GI) and were assessed at baseline, 6, and 12 weeks.

A significant difference in plaque scores (p = <0.001) and gingival scores (p = <0.001) was observed within the groups after 6 and 12 weeks postintervention. There was no statistically significant difference in dental plaque scores and gingival scores between the groups at all the timelines.

In this study, visual cards, a mobile-based application (Brush Monster™), and video modeling significantly reduced dental plaque and gingival scores. Hence, all these modalities can be used as effective tools in educating children to improve their oral hygiene.

Poor oral hygiene can result in numerous complications for children with autism. Therefore, providing specialized education to raise awareness about oral hygiene offers significant benefits for these children in multiple aspects.CTRI registration number: CTRI/2023/08/056407.

Usilla B, Cheruku SR, Silla SS, et al. A Comparative Study to Evaluate the Effectiveness of Different Modes of Oral Health Education Aids in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2025;18(1):80-85.