Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Document Type

Thesis - NSU Access Only

Degree Name

Master of Science (M.S.) in Dentistry

Copyright Statement

All rights reserved. This publication is intended for use solely by faculty, students, and staff of Nova Southeastern University. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, now known or later developed, including but not limited to photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author or the publisher.

Department

College of Dental Medicine

First Advisor

Jennifer Chung

Date of original Performance / Presentation

January 2024

Publication Date / Copyright Date

1-1-2024

Abstract

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate caregivers' awareness of their children's brushing habits with regular toothpaste through pre- and post-intervention questionnaires, assess changes in plaque scores at baseline and after one month, measure brushing time to gauge compliance, and analyze improvements in brushing compliance based on time and plaque scores. Methods: The study recruited children aged three to ten with varying plaque levels from Nova Southeastern University's Mailman Segal Dental Clinic. Participants underwent pre-intervention assessments, including a plaque index evaluation using GC Plaque ID GelTM. Following education on oral hygiene techniques, they received either flavored (control group) or unflavored (experimental group) toothpaste for a month. Post-intervention, plaque levels were reassessed, and participants' satisfaction and compliance were evaluated. Results: Although no statistical significance was observed between the control and experimental groups, there was a promising trend towards improved oral hygiene outcomes with unflavored toothpaste. The group using unflavored toothpaste showed a slight reduction in plaque scores and an increase in brushing time, indicating better compliance compared to the group using flavored toothpaste. Conclusion: The study suggests that unflavored toothpaste may help improve oral hygiene practices among children with ASD by reducing sensory challenges associated with flavored toothpaste. However, further research with larger samples and comprehensive assessments is needed to confirm these findings and explore the potential benefits of unflavored toothpaste in enhancing oral health for children with ASD.

Disciplines

Dentistry

Keywords

Autism Spectrum Disorder; Brushing; GC Plaque ID Gel; Oral Hygiene; Plaque Reduction; Unflavoured Toothpaste

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