Smile or scare? study tests best way to teach kids to brush
NCT ID NCT07150429
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 26, 2026
Summary
This study looked at whether showing children pictures of healthy teeth or decayed teeth helps them learn to brush better. Sixty kids aged 7 to 14 received hands-on brushing lessons, some with positive images, some with negative images, and some with no images. Researchers measured plaque and bad breath before, one week after, and one month after the lesson to see which method worked best.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- visual aids (positive or negative images of teeth)
- What this could lead to
- If effective, this approach could make oral hygiene education more motivating for children, leading to better brushing habits and less plaque.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, completed study with only 60 children. Results may not apply to all kids or guarantee long-term improvement.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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60 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Jul 2024
- Finished
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Jan 2025
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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7 to 14 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * (1) children who had not previously received oral hygiene education, (2) children with carious lesions scored no higher than 4 on the ICDAS scale, and (3) systemically healthy children between the ages of 7 and 14. The study population consisted of male children, as well as female children who had not yet reached menarche. Exclusion Criteria: * (1) Children who declined to participate in the study, (2) girls who had reached menarche, (3)children with systemic disorders, and (4) children with presenting with intraoral conditions such as defective restorations that could facilitate plaque retention.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Eskişehir Osmangazi University Faculty of Dentistry Department of Pedodontics
Eskişehir, Odunpazarı, 26040, Turkey (Türkiye)
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