Toothbrush deterioration and parents' suggestions to improve the design of toothbrushes used by children with special care needs.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Biting objects was a parafunctional oral habit among children with special care needs. Chewing or biting toothbrushes could expedite the process of toothbrush wear. However, few studies evaluated the deterioration levels of toothbrushes used by children with special needs. This study aimed to assess the deterioration level of toothbrushes used by children with special care needs, and collect parents' feedbacks to improve the design of children's toothbrushes.

Methods

The cross-sectional study recruited 277 children who had special care needs. Children's toothbrushing behaviors, background information, and parents' comments on toothbrushes were obtained. Toothbrush deterioration was assessed by bristle wear and bite mark scores. Higher scores indicated severe deter

SUBMITTER: Zhou N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7504597 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature