Brushing Method Research Articles

Preparation and performance of highly active and long-life mesopore Ti/SnO2–Sb electrodes for electrochemical degradation of phenol

In this study, a new method for the controlled preparation of mesoporous Ti/Ce–Mn/meso–SnO2–Sb electrodes was established by introducing a Ce–Mn composite interlayer with Pluronic F127 (EO106PO70EO106) as the pore-forming agent and using a stepwise electrodeposition method. The results of the experiment indicated that the mesoporous electrodes prepared using electrodeposition had a larger specific surface area (68.37 m2 g−1), a high oxygen evolution potential (2.16 V) and good mechanical properties. The degradation extent of phenol increased from 72.34% to 91.83% and the Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) removal extent increased from 59.31% to 81.25% within 120 min. The service life of the Ti/Ce–Mn/meso–SnO2–Sb electrode was improved nearly 15-fold compared with the conventional Ti/SnO2–Sb electrode produced using the brushing method. The results showed that the stepwise electrodeposition method can refine the coating grains. The introduction of the Ce–Mn intermediate layer increased the bonding between the coating and the Ti substrate. The mesoporous structure provided more in situ catalytic active sites and promoted the generation of •OH and catalytic oxidation of phenol. This method provides technical support and a theoretical basis for achieving controllable preparation and industrial application of high-performance titanium-based tin electrodes.

Efficacy of sonic versus manual toothbrushing after professional mechanical plaque removal: A 6-month randomized clinical trial.

AimThe aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of two brushing methods (manual vs. sonic) in terms of plaque control after a session of professional mechanical plaque removal (PMPR).MethodsSubjects with gingivitis underwent a session of PMPR and were randomly assigned to sonic (SB) or manual brushing (MB). Oral hygiene instructions were provided at baseline (BL), 2 (T0a), 4 (T0b) and 6 weeks (T1) and 6 months (T2). Plaque Index (PI), Gingival Index (GI) and bleeding on probing (BoP) were measured at BL, T1 and T2. The proportion of sites with PI, GI and BoP was modelled at site level using a negative binomial regression fitted via generalized linear mixed model accounting for intra‐patient correlation.ResultsThirty‐two subjects were selected, 16 assigned to each group and 31 completed the study. PI, BoP and GI were comparable at BL. At T1, PI was successfully maintained at 6.21% for SB and 22.81% for MB, while at T2 reached 11.34% for SB and 28% for MB, favouring the SB group (p < 0.001). GI and BoP were significantly lower in the SB group at T1, with a BoP reduction for SB about 3 times higher than MB (p < 0.001). These parameters then levelled at T2 between the groups, with BOP reaching 0.14% versus 0.05% (p = 0.356) and GI 1.75% versus 3.52% (p = 0.020).ConclusionSonic brushing seemed to maintain a lower PI score compared to a manual brush at 6 months. BoP and GI resulted comparable.

Comparison of Efficacy of Different Supervision Methods of Toothbrushing on Dental Plaque Scores in 7-9-year-old Children.

Background and objectivesThe efficiency of mechanical plaque control in children not only depends on the type of oral aids they use but also on the instructions, training, and motivation given to them. To compare the efficiency of different methods of personal supervision of toothbrushing in reducing the dental plaque levels in 7–9-year-old schoolchildren.Materials and methodsA parallel designed double-blinded randomized study was conducted in a private school in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia from September 2018 to December 2018. The children were allocated randomly into two groups based on the type of supervision given. Plaque scores examination was carried out at four intervals as baseline, 7th day, 14th day, and 90th day.ResultsPlaque scores reduced after 7 days in all groups, even though there was no statistically significant difference observed. At the final examination of plaque scores (90th day), there was a highly statistically significant reduction observed in group I and II compared to group III where the reduction was less evident.ConclusionSupervision of toothbrushing in the correct way was effective in reducing the plaque scores. Our study benefited both parents and children in understanding the correct method of brushing and the importance of plaque control.How to cite this articlePullishery F, Abuzenada BM, Alrushnudi NM, et al. Comparison of Efficacy of Different Supervision Methods of Toothbrushing on Dental Plaque Scores in 7–9-year-old Children. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2021;14(2):263–268.

Frequency Distribution of Gingival Biotype and Related Factors in an Adult Population of Isfahan

Background: Gingival biotype can be influenced by genetic factors, tooth-related factors and biological issues. This study aimed to determine the biotype of facial gingival and related factors. Methods: In this study, 300 patients (128 males and 172 females) with a mean age of 36.2 ± 13.27 were selected by simple random sampling. Patients’ characteristics including age, gender, smoking, dental and keratinized gingival anatomy and oral hygiene parameters were recorded and their associations with gingival biotype were investigated using Transparency method. Collected data were analyzed by SPSS24 using t test, Mann-Whitney, ANOVA, and Pearson correlation coefficient. The P&lt;0.05 was considered significant. Results: Frequency of thin gingival biotype was higher than that of thick gingival biotype. There was a significant relationship between gingival biotype of upper central incisors areas and age (P &lt; 0.001), vibratory brushing (P=0.019) and keratinized gingival width (P=0.021). There was also a significant relationship between the gingival biotype of lower central incisor area and gender (P=0.036), vibratory brushing (P=0.010), vertical brushing (P=0.009) and keratinized gingival width (P=0.011). Moreover, a significant direct relationship was discovered between Gingival biotype of upper and lower central incisors areas. No relationship was found between frequency and duration of brushing, dental flossing, plaque index, tooth shape, and smoking with gingival biotype (P&gt; 0.005). Conclusions: Gingival biotype was associated with age, gender and keratinized gingival width, as well as some brushing characteristics such as the brushing method.

Relationship between periodontal diseases and newly-diagnosed metabolic syndrome components in a sub-Saharan population: a cross sectional study

BackgroundOral health is a frequently ignored aspect of global health in sub-Saharan patients. Periodontitis, a very frequent oral disease has been proven to be associated to development of the metabolic syndrome. This study aims to evaluate the relationship between periodontal disease and metabolic syndrome components in a sub-Saharan population.MethodsWe performed a cross sectional study in 3 Yaounde hospitals. Consenting adults aged 21 years and above were recruited. Participants who presented with a tooth loss of at least 50% or any condition which could alter values of biological and periodontal parameters (tobacco smoking, pregnancy, chronic kidney disease, cancer) were excluded. Metabolic syndrome elements (glycaemia, arterial pressure, HDL cholesterol, abdominal circumference, triglycerides) and periodontal variables were recorded (plaque and gingival index of Silness and Loe, periodontal pocket depth and clinical attachment loss). These variables were compared using Fisher’s exact Test and odds ratio calculated with 95% confidence intervals.ResultsThe prevalence of periodontitis and metabolic syndrome were 43.4% and 10.8% respectively. Age (37.75 ± 13.25, P < 0.001) and poor accessory brushing methods were associated risk factors for development of periodontal disease. Sub-Saharan sindividuals with periodontitis had increased odds of having obesity (OR 11.1 [95% CI 3.97–31.03], P < 0.001) and low HDL (OR 4.58 [95% CI 1.79–11.70], P = 0.001)ConclusionOur findings suggest an association between periodontal disease and metabolic syndrome in Sub-Saharan subjects. Increasing age and poor accessory brushing methods are associated risk indicators.

Comparison of Oral Health Knowledge, Attitude &amp; Practice among Dental versus Medical Students

Objective: The objective of study was to compare oral health knowledge, attitude and practice scores between medical and dental students of Karachi, Pakistan.Methods: It was cross-sectional study conducted at private medical and dental college of Karachi, Pakistan from Jul 2018-Jul 2019. Hundred medical and 100 dental students of age 22-26 years of either gender, enrolled in 2nd year of their medical and dental school were recruited for the study by using non-probability convenience sampling technique. The adapted questionnaire was used which consist of 16 items to assess knowledge, attitude and practice regarding oral health. SPSS version 23 was used to analyse data.Results: The mean age of participants was reported as 22.77 years. Among all medical students, the high mean knowledge score was observed for brushing timings (0.90), for attitude, the high mean score for use of floss/interdental brush was reported (4.41). Among all the dental students, the high mean score was observed for knowledge of brushing timings, frequency of replacing toothbrush and amount of toothpaste on your brush (0.93). According to attitude, high mean score for use of mouthwash was reported (4.45) followed by method of tooth brushing (4.35). According to practice the high mean score was reported for treatment of gum problems as 4.51.The knowledge, attitude and practice score of dental students were significantly high as compared to medical students (p&lt;0.05). Among males, knowledge and attitude of dental students were significantly high as compared to medical students (p&lt;0.05), whereas no significant difference was found between practice score. Among females, knowledge, attitude and practice score of dental students were significantly high as compared to medical students (p&lt;0.05).Conclusion: The study ascertained that knowledge, attitude and practice regarding oral health was better in dental students as compared to medical students

Comparative study of the effects of two educational interventions of storytelling and roleplaying on tooth brushing method in preschool children of Aleshtar city

The Journal is the primary organ of Continuing Paediatric Medical Education in Sri Lanka. The journal also has a website. Free full text access is available for all readers.The Sri Lanka Journal of Child Health is now indexed in SciVerse Scopus (Source Record ID 19900193609), Index Medicus for South-East Asia Region (IMSEAR), CABI (Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International Global Health Database), DOAJ and is available in Google, as well as Google Scholar.The policies of the journal are modelled on the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) Guidelines on Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing. Sri Lanka Journal of Child Health is recognised by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) as a publication following the ICMJE Recommendations.

A high-performance textile-based triboelectric nanogenerator manufactured by a novel brush method for self-powered human motion pattern detector

Textile-based triboelectric nanogenerator (t-TENG) has attracted widespread attention because it is the most promising technology in the fields of intelligent electronic textiles and biosensors. However, it is still a challenge for t-TENG with high performance and low cost. Herein, we develop a high-performance t-TENG to harvest biomechanical energy from human motions, in which nanopatterned polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) – carbon nanotubes (CNTs) film is coated through a novel brush coating method (PCN-TENG). The open-circuit voltage (VOC) and short-circuit current (ISC) can reach 51.2 V and 3.0 μA, respectively, while the traditional dip-coat method only reaches 14 V and 0.82 μA. Furthermore, the self-powered human motion pattern detector (HMPD) is made, which can collect the energy of human movement and identify the movement status (including: walking, running, and jumping) by inserting PCN-TENG into a pair of insoles insole. HMPD has two working modes, in which mode 1 (the single-electrode mode) is good at recognizing movement mode and mode 2 (vertical contact-separation mode) is more advantageous in collecting movement energy of the human body. In this work, high-performance intelligent electronic textiles were prepared by a novel efficient and convenient method and apply them to t-TENG, which had a high potential for future smart clothing products and self-powered biosensors, and a novel self-powered HMPD had been designed to realize human movement monitoring while collecting energy.

Phototherapy and Tailored Brushing Method. Personalized Oral Care in Patients with Facial and Dental Trauma. A Report of a Case.

(1) Background: Traumatic dental injuries are frequent in children and young adults. The facial structures involved in dental trauma may include soft tissues of the face and mouth, bone and dental structures. Dental trauma often results in augmented dental anxiety. Phototherapy can improve stress and pain control thereby improving compliance in young patients with the necessary dental treatments, after dental trauma has occurred. (2) Methods: Phototherapy was performed to enable soft tissue healing. The Tailored Brushing Method (TBM), a personalized approach for at-home oral hygiene procedures, was also utilized, with the aim of improving biofilm control in traumatized patients. (3) Results: The approach hereafter presented made it possible to obtain subjective control of anxiety and pain documented on a visual analog scale (VAS) due to the innovative use of photo-biomodulation. In addition, for the first time, the TBM was adapted to the needs of a patient with facial trauma and illustrated. (4) Conclusions: Phototherapy and TBM were found to be effective in the combined treatment of soft tissue wounds and in the oral care of the traumatized patient.

Assessment of the External Insulation Performance of Post Insulator in Rain: A Review

In recent years, the surface discharge of polluted post insulators in rain which affects HVDC transmission has brought great influence to the national economy and people’s daily life. In order to improve the strength of the external insulation of HVDC converter stations, this paper mainly focus on the environmental characteristics and areal rainfall of UHV power stations, analyzes the influence of experimental factors (sample treatment mode, rain-drenching mode, pressurization mode and insulation material) on the discharge behavior of post insulators in rain flash experiment, summarizes the relevant standards in the rain flash experiment of large-scals post insulators. The results showed that the effects of different contamination methods on rain flashover are not different, among which spraying method can improve the experimental efficiency, and the quantitative brushing method can reach the specified ash density and salt density more easily; The number and length of water column of composite insulators are lower than that of porcelain insulators, and the number of water droplets between large sheds and the number of water droplets on the edge of large sheds are higher than that of porcelain insulators.

An exploration of the oral health beliefs and behaviors of people living with HIV in Mangalore, India: a qualitative study

IntroductionPeople living with HIV (PLWHIV) have increased oral healthcare needs due to an increase in the prevalence of oral and dental diseases. Their oral health is influenced by psychosocial, behavioral and biologic factors. The aim of this study was to explore and obtain a deeper understanding of the oral health beliefs and behaviors of PLWHIV that could potentially affect their oral health.MethodsWe have used the Health Belief Model (HBM) and qualitative methods using in-depth interviews with 16 PLWHIV. Content analysis of the transcribed data was done. The data was grouped under the constructs of the HBM.FindingsThe perceived susceptibility to oral diseases and awareness on the importance of good oral health was low. Regular tooth brushing and traditional methods for oral hygiene maintenance were considered beneficial. Regular dental visits were not considered important. Psychosocial issues, time and financial constraints were the barriers. Participants believed that information on oral health should be provided by the health providers in hospitals and dental clinics. ConclusionThe findings on the oral health beliefs and behaviors support the need for education on oral health and preventive healthcare practices among PLWHIV. Oral health promotion should include behavioral change as one of its components.

Protection of Stone Monuments Using a Brushing Treatment with Ammonium Oxalate

Stone monuments and buildings are susceptible to weathering. Carbonate-based stones are especially vulnerable in acidic environments, whereas magmatic acidic stones are more susceptible to chemical weathering in basic environments. To slow down surface corrosion of limestone and marble artworks/buildings, protective coatings which inhibit calcite dissolution have been proposed. In this work, samples from two stone types with different porosity were treated with ammonium oxalate (AmOx) to create a protective layer of calcium oxalate (CaOx) using the previously developed brushing method. Two different synchrotron microscopy experiments were performed to determine its protective capability. X-ray powder diffraction (SR-μ-XRPD) in transmission geometry allowed visualization of the distributions of calcium carbonate and oxalates along the sample depths. In a second step, X-ray fluorescence (SR-μ-XRF) was used to check the efficiency/integrity of the protective surface coating layer. This was done by measuring the sulfur distribution on the stone surface after exposing the protected stones to sulfuric acid. XRPD showed the formation of a protective oxalate layer with a thickness of 5–15 µm on the less porous stone, while a 20–30 µm thick layer formed on the more porous stone. The XRF study showed that the optimal treatment time depends on the stone porosity. Increasing the treatment time from 1 to 3 h resulted in a decreased efficiency of the protective layer for the low porosity stone. We assume that this is due to the formation of vertical channels (cracks) in the protective layer.

What’s Better for Children; an Electric or Manual Toothbrush?

Is an electric toothbrush better than a regular toothbrush for children? Who should use an electric toothbrush? These are some of the questions that parents are confused about. Unfortunately, scientific research has not found a definite answer to these questions. Many scientific studies have been conducted to investigate the effectiveness of hand or electric toothbrushes in reducing gum disease and removing plaque. A review of some studies has revealed that, in general, there is no significant difference between hand-held and electric toothbrushes in the ability to plaque removal and gum disease prevention. However, evidence showed that certain types of electric or rechargeable toothbrushes called rotary-oscillating toothbrushes were better and more effective than hand-held toothbrushes but if the correct brushing method is followed.

Effect of Different Carbon Materials on the Conductivity of Epoxy Resin Conductive Coatings

In this work, the conductive coating was prepared by electrostatic spraying with graphene and Multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNTs) as conductive medium and epoxy resin powder as film-forming material, in order to solve the pro·blem of high content and uneven dispersity of conductive particles in conductive coatings prepared by brushing method. The resistance of the coating was measured by four probe method, the dispersity of conductive particles in the coating was analyzed by scanning electron microscope (SEM), and the conductive mechanism of the coating was analyzed by percolation theory model. The results show that the conductive particles can be dispersed evenly in the whole coating by electrostatic force. Meanwhile, the electrostatic force can also stretch the conductive particles in the coating along the direction of the thickness of that. The flake graphene is vertically arranged in the coating, and the curled MWCNTs forms the conductive network of "island-bridge" structure. The conductive particles laped each other to form a conductive path, which greatly reduced the content of conductive particles. The seepage threshold of graphene conductive coating was only 1.5 wt.%, which lower than that of the MWCNTs conductive coating, which is 3 wt.%. The resistance of epoxy coating containing with 0.5 wt.% graphene is 3397 Ω·m, and that of epoxy coating containing with 0.5 wt.% MWCNTs is 1049 Ω·m.

Experimental study on stainless steel high-strength bolted slip-resistant connections

Stainless steel structures have broad application prospects owing to their excellent corrosion resistance and mechanical properties. Current studies on stainless steel structures mainly focus on material properties and member behaviors. Several studies have reported on the performance of stainless steel joints and connections. In this study, a series of tests were performed on two fundamental parts of the stainless steel high-strength bolted slip-resistant connection, that is the stainless steel high-strength bolts and stainless steel faying surface treatment. For the stainless steel high-strength bolts, the tests were conducted on six types of bolts, including a new type of high-strength bolt made of S17400. The chemical compositions and full-range stress-strain curves were reported. The friction coefficients of the bolts with and without lubrication were measured. It was concluded that thread galling would probably occur during the application of the preload for bolts without lubrication. Lubricants would smoothen the tightening process and reduce the friction coefficient considerably. With regard to the stainless steel faying surface treatments, a total of eight types of treatment methods categorized into four groups were investigated. The surface roughness and slip factor were measured. It was concluded that under the commonly used steel structure faying surface treatments, the slip factor of the stainless steel plate was much lower than that of the carbon steel plate. The methods of clamping soft metal plates between the grit blasted stainless steel surfaces could improve the slip factor to approximately 0.30; a higher slip factor with a comparatively lower surface roughness would be obtained with the coating method. The proposed heavy brushing and mechanical scoring methods could considerably increase the surface roughness and slip factor. In addition, the slip factor was positively correlated with the surface roughness for most of the faying surfaces. The results of this study could benefit the development of related design codes.

Counseling with Tooth Brushing Demonstration Method as an Effort to Improve Tooth Brushing Skills and the Status of Dental and Oral Hygiene in Early Childhood at School

Dental health problems suffered by many people in Indonesia is dental caries. Poor dental and oral hygieneis one of the factors causing dental caries or oral and dental health problems. Teaching oral health withdemonstration method can improve tooth brushing skills and reduce oral and dental hygiene in earlychildhood. This study aims to the effectiveness of counseling with brushing demonstration method as aneffort to improve tooth brushing skills and the status of dental hygiene in early childhood in school. Method:this study used a quasy experiment with a pretest and posttest with one group design. This research wasconducted at Kindergarten Dharma Putra Nusantara 86 Cilandak District, South Jakarta City. Independentvariable: counseling by demonstration method and the dependent variable: brushing skills and the statusof early childhood dental and oral hygiene. Data were tested using Wilcoxon. Results: counseling with atooth brushing demonstration method was effective in improving brushing skills (p <0.001) and effective inimproving the status of early childhood dental and oral hygiene (p <0.001). Conclusion: Counseling withthe demonstration method of tooth brushing is effective as an effort to improve tooth brushing skills and thestatus of dental and oral hygiene in early childhood at school.

Effectiveness of oral health education on 8- to 10-year-old school children in rural areas of the Magway Region, Myanmar

BackgroundOral diseases are common and widespread around the world. The most common oral diseases are preventable, and early onset is reversible. Myanmar faces many challenges in rendering oral health services, because approximately 70% of the total population resides in rural areas. These relate to the availability and accessibility of oral health services. Therefore, oral health education is one key element to prevent oral diseases and to promote oral health.MethodsA quasi-experimental study was carried out at Basic Education Middle Schools in rural areas of Magway Township to study the effectiveness of oral health education on the knowledge and behavior of 8- to 10-year-old school children. A total of 220 school children, 110 from intervention schools and 110 from control schools, participated in this study from 2015 to 2017. Data were collected before and after intervention in the two groups by using a self-administered questionnaire. Tooth brushing method data were collected by direct observation with a checklist. Oral health education was provided at eight weekly intervals for 1 year. At one and a half years, third-time data collection was done on the intervention group to assess retention. Chi-square test, two samples t-test and one-way repeated measure ANOVA were used for data analysis. The study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of the University of Public Health in Yangon, Myanmar.ResultsThere were significant differences between the two groups in four out of five knowledge questions (p < 0.05) and all behavior questions (p < 0.001) after intervention. A positive effect of oral health education for a period of 45 min at eight weekly intervals for 1 year was found in the intervention group. The intervention had a significant effect on the sustainability of the correct knowledge and behavior of the intervention group although the education session was stopped for 6 months (p < 0.001). Their mean knowledge and behavioral scores at three different points in time were (2.45 ± 1.12 and1.56 ± 0.90) at baseline, (3.79 ± 1.12 and 3.60 ± 1.21) at 1 year after education and (4.07 ± 0.98 and 3.24 ± 1.31) at 6 months after cessation of education, respectively.ConclusionsRepeated oral health education was effective in promoting and sustaining oral health knowledge and behavior.

A cross-study to evaluate the effect of two methods of oral health education on the oral health status among visually impaired children

Objectives: Visually impaired children can encounter specific problems like plaque-associated disease which if untreated could result in higher risk. Despite this, there is not much available data authenticating the efficacy of oral health education aids using verbal commands and tactile sensations. Therefore, the present study was aimed to evaluate the use of oral health education aids using verbal instructions through audio and music-assisted toothbrushing system and oral hygiene instructions and brushing methods through braille among visually impaired children and its outcome on their oral health status. Study Design: This cross-sectional study included a total of 50 visually impaired children divided equally into music-assisted toothbrushing method and oral hygiene instructions and brushing method through braille's categories. Oral hygiene status was assessed using Simplified Oral Hygiene Index (OHI-S), gingival index (GI), and plaque index (PI) at different time intervals. Analysis was performed using Student's t-test, Mann–Whitney U-test, and Welch's t-test. Results: The OHI-S, PI, and GI scores significantly decreased at different time intervals for both the groups (P ≤ 0.001). Intergroup comparison regarding oral hygiene status between the braille and music groups at baseline to 6 months showed a significant improvement (P ≤ 0.001). Conclusions: The current study highlighted an improvement in the oral hygiene status with audio instructions and music-assisted toothbrushing system than braille. Employing these specially framed oral health educations improvised greatly the oral health status in visually impaired children.

Clinical analysis of the cleaning effectiveness of toothbrushes of various types in children aged 6-15 years after a single brushing

The purpose of the study is to conduct a comparative analysis of the cleaning effectiveness of toothbrushes of various types in children aged 6-15 years after a single tooth brushing. A parallel, randomized, open clinical trial was conducted aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of toothbrushes of various types in children aged 6-15 years. The study involved 180 children of both sexes aged 6-15 years, who were divided into 3 age categories: 6-8 years (n=60), 9-11 years (n=60) and 12-15 years (n=60). In each age category, 3 groups of 20 people were randomly formed who received toothbrushes of different types: groups I, IV and VII - a manual brush with a multi-level brush field, groups II, V and VIII - a manual brush with an even brush field, groups III, VI, IX - an electric brush with the technology of reciprocating and pulsating movements. After the dental examination, the children were taught the standard method of brushing their teeth. The cleaning efficiency of toothbrushes was evaluated using the hygiene index PI (S. Turesky, 1970) before and after a single tooth brushing. The nonparametric Wilcoxon test was used to compare the indicators of one group in dynamics, and the Mann-Whitney test was used to identify differences between groups. A comparative analysis showed that the efficiency of the electric brush in all age groups was significantly higher compared to manual brushes having an even brush field, and in children 12-15 years old it was higher compared to both manual brushes. In the age groups of 6-8 years and 9-11 years, a manual brush with a multi-level brush field, intersecting tufts of bristles and a power projection showed high cleaning efficiency, which did not significantly differ from the indicators of plaque reduction after using an electric brush (Mann-Whitney criterion, p>0.05). An electric toothbrush is the most effective means of oral hygiene in children. In children aged 6-8 years, a high cleansing effect was achieved with a manual brush having a multi-level brush field. In the hygienic education of children of this age, it is necessary to pay more attention to the formation of the correct technique of brushing teeth with the help of manual brushes corresponding to age characteristics.

"BRUSH UP": AN INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGICAL AID FOR PARENTS TO KEEP A CHECK OF THEIR CHILDREN'S ORAL HYGIENE BEHAVIOUR.

ABSTRACTObjective: To investigate the impact of “Brush Up” - a mobile application, on oral hygiene behaviours of 4-6-year-old children in Bangalore city.Methods: In this experimental study, 247 children aged 4-6, were randomly divided into three groups. Considering “Brush Up” is a mobile application, parents of the children in Group 1 (n=82) downloaded the application on their smartphones. Children in Group 2 (n=83) and Group 3 (n=82) received tooth brushing instructions by an educative video and manual demonstration, respectively. Effectiveness of tooth brushing was assessed with plaque scores, which were recorded for all the groups at baseline and one month using Visible Biofilm Index.Results: Wilcoxon signed rank test showed a significant improvement in the tooth brushing behaviour for the Brush Up group, which was indicated by a lower plaque score after a follow-up of one month. Kruskal-Wallis test followed by post-hoc test showed that the mean ranks of plaque scores of Brush Up group are consistently lower than those of video demonstration group and manual demonstration group.Conclusions: The lower plaque score in subsequent follow-up in Brush Up group suggests that using a smart system can enhance learning a correct tooth brushing method in young children and can also help in implementing the required reinforcement and motivation to brush and aid in better plaque control.