An interventional study of Standardized Toothbrushing Education in Specific Learning Disabilities, Dental Plaque and Oral Hygiene, sponsored by Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat University. Recruiting at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye). Open to participants aged 7 Years to 12 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-06-16.
Sponsored by Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Supportive care
This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of toothbrushing education on plaque removal in children aged 7-12 years with specific learning disabilities (SLD) and to compare their plaque removal performance with healthy children. Participants will receive standardized toothbrushing education supported by visual and auditory materials. Plaque Index, Gingival Index, and photograph-based quantitative plaque analyses will be evaluated at baseline and after a 2-week follow-up period.
Dental plaque is one of the major etiological factors associated with oral diseases such as dental caries and gingival inflammation. Effective plaque control through proper toothbrushing habits plays an important role in maintaining oral health in children. However, children with specific learning disabilities (SLD) may experience difficulties in acquiring and maintaining adequate oral hygiene behaviors because of limitations in learning processes, attention, and motor coordination.
The aim of this study is to evaluate the short-term effectiveness of structured toothbrushing education in children aged 7-12 years with SLD and to compare plaque removal performance with healthy children using photograph-based quantitative analysis methods.
The study will be conducted at the Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat University. Children diagnosed with SLD and age-matched healthy controls will be included in the study. All participants will receive standardized toothbrushing education supported by visual cards and educational videos. Educational materials will be prepared in a child-friendly format and based on the Modified Bass toothbrushing technique.
A plaque-disclosing agent will be applied to all participants to visualize dental plaque before photography. Intraoral photographs will be obtained under standardized conditions using the same lighting, camera settings, and imaging protocol. At each evaluation session, intraoral photographs will be obtained both before and after toothbrushing in order to assess immediate plaque removal effectiveness. Quantitative plaque analysis will be performed using ImageJ/FIJI software by calculating plaque percentage (P%) values from disclosed plaque areas.
Participants will use standardized toothbrushes and toothpaste throughout the study period. During the 2-week follow-up period, children will be encouraged to continue toothbrushing under parental supervision using the taught brushing technique. At follow-up visits, Plaque Index, Gingival Index, plaque disclosure, and intraoral photography procedures will be repeated to evaluate changes in plaque removal effectiveness and oral hygiene performance.
The findings of this study are expected to contribute to the development of individualized oral hygiene education approaches for children with specific learning disabilities and to support the use of photograph-based quantitative plaque analysis methods in pediatric dentistry research.
352 studies on the registry are indexed under Dental Plaque; 60 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 70 is above the median of 56 across 316 interventional studies indexed under Dental Plaque.
Browse Dental Plaque studies →Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat University is the lead sponsor of 51 studies on the registry; 17 are open to participants now.
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Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
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Informed consent
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Children with specific learning disabilities receiving standardized toothbrushing education.
Behavioral: Standardized Toothbrushing Education
Healthy children receiving standardized toothbrushing education.
Behavioral: Standardized Toothbrushing Education
Participants will receive standardized toothbrushing education supported by visual educational cards and educational videos based on the Modified Bass toothbrushing technique. The education program will include step-by-step practical instruction, mirror-assisted self-modeling, and parental involvement. Standardized toothbrushes and toothpaste will be provided to all participants. Plaque removal effectiveness will be evaluated using plaque-disclosing agents, intraoral photographs obtained before and after toothbrushing, and quantitative plaque analysis performed with ImageJ/FIJI software.
Change in plaque percentage (P%) measured using ImageJ/FIJI analysis
Quantitative plaque percentage changes will be evaluated using disclosed plaque areas obtained from intraoral photographs before and after toothbrushing procedures.
Time frame: Baseline and 2 weeks
Change in Plaque Index (Silness and Löe Plaque Index) Scores
Plaque accumulation will be assessed using the Silness and Löe Plaque Index. The index ranges from 0 to 3. A score of 0 indicates no plaque. A score of 1 indicates a thin film of plaque adhering to the free gingival margin and adjacent area of the tooth, detectable only by running a probe across the tooth surface. A score of 2 indicates moderate accumulation of soft deposits visible to the naked eye on the tooth surface and gingival margin. A score of 3 indicates abundant soft deposits within the gingival pocket and/or on the tooth and gingival margin. Higher scores indicate poorer oral hygiene and greater plaque accumulation. Changes will be evaluated at baseline and after the 2-week toothbrushing education period.
Time frame: Baseline and 2 weeks
Change in Gingival Index (Löe and Silness Gingival Index) Scores
Gingival health will be assessed using the Löe and Silness Gingival Index. The index ranges from 0 to 3. A score of 0 indicates healthy gingiva with no signs of inflammation. A score of 1 indicates mild inflammation characterized by slight color change and edema without bleeding on probing. A score of 2 indicates moderate inflammation characterized by redness, edema, and bleeding on probing. A score of 3 indicates severe inflammation characterized by marked redness, edema, ulceration, and a tendency toward spontaneous bleeding. Higher scores indicate poorer gingival health and more severe gingival inflammation. Changes in Gingival Index scores will be evaluated at baseline and after the 2-week toothbrushing education period.
Time frame: Baseline and 2 weeks
Plan to share: No — Individual participant data (IPD) will not be shared due to participant confidentiality and privacy considerations.
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Started Jun 2026 (actual). Primary completion is estimated for Oct 2026, 4 months after the start.
Of 133 non-industry interventional studies with no phase under Dental Plaque, half reached primary completion within 7 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 3 and three quarters within 16. This study's planned 4 months is below that.
Counting every sponsor, half of 178 studies reached it within 6 months; a quarter within 2 and three quarters within 14.
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Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat University