Safety and Efficacy of Plaque Removal Using Manual and Powered Toothbrush in Cerebral Palsy Children by Parents/Caregivers: A Randomized Control Crossover Trial.

Abstract

The aim of our study was to check the safety and efficacy of plaque removal using manual and powered toothbrush in cerebral palsy children by parents/caregivers. This was a single blinded, crossover randomized control trial conducted on 60 cerebral palsy children between the age of 6 to 14 years. They were randomly divided using a flip coin method into two groups: group A-manual toothbrush and group B-powered toothbrush. The plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), and gingival abrasion (GA) score were measured at baseline, then at an interval of 3, 6, 9, and 12 weeks. This was followed by a crossover between two groups with a washout period of 1 week. Both manual and powered toothbrush showed a significant reduction in plaque and gingival score before and after crossover when compared to baseline (p < 0.05). The GA score was reduced to 100% in both groups. However, there was no statistically significant difference between both the groups before and after the crossover. Also, through the questionnaire it was observed that both child (86.6%) and parent (70%) showed positive feedback towards powered toothbrush. It can be concluded from the present study that the efficacy of a powered toothbrush is comparable to that of a manual toothbrush. Parents and caregivers, on the contrary, displayed a favorable attitude towards the use of powered toothbrushes due to their ease of use. Cerebral palsy is one of the most common neurological disorders among children. It is associated with poor motor skills and manual dexterity that hampers their ability to brush and thus leads to poor oral hygiene. A powered toothbrush seems more appealing and is specially designed for patients with poor neuromotor coordination. Deshpande AN, Naik K, Deshpande N, et al. Safety and Efficacy of Plaque Removal using Manual and Powered Toothbrush in Cerebral Palsy Children by Parents/Caregivers: A Randomized Control Crossover Trial. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2023;16(2):344-349.