Effectiveness of visual pedagogy in improving toothbrushing skills, oral hygiene and gingival health among children with autism- A randomised controlled trial.

Researchers tested whether using visual teaching methods could help autistic children brush their teeth better than regular teaching. They studied 200 children with autism for 3 months. Children who learned with pictures and visual guides became much better at brushing their teeth and had cleaner mouths and healthier gums compared to children who received regular teaching. This suggests visual teaching tools can really help autistic children take better care of their teeth.

This randomized controlled trial evaluated the effectiveness of toothbrushing visual pedagogy (TBVP) compared to conventional oral health education among 200 children with autism aged 6-17 years. The study measured toothbrushing skills, plaque levels, and gingival health at baseline, 30, 60, and 90 days. Results showed significant improvements in the TBVP group across all measures. At 90 days, children receiving visual pedagogy demonstrated higher toothbrushing scores (22.49 vs 18.35), lower plaque scores (1.31 vs 1.47), and better gingival health (1.38 vs 1.56) compared to the control group.

The findings suggest visual pedagogy can be an effective behavioral guidance tool for improving oral hygiene maintenance in children with autism.

Visual pedagogy represents a practical, evidence-based approach for allied health professionals and parents to improve oral hygiene in autistic children. The structured visual teaching method can be incorporated into therapy programs and home routines to achieve measurable improvements in dental health outcomes.

Study limitations are not detailed in the abstract. The generalizability may be limited to the specific age range (6-17 years) and cultural context studied. Long-term sustainability of improvements beyond 90 days is unknown.

Autism is a neurodevelopmental disability that diminishes social interactions and communication. Maintaining good oral hygiene in them is a significant task. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a toothbrushing visual pedagogy (TBVP) in improving brushing skills, oral hygiene, and gingival status among children with autism. This cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted among 200 children with autism, aged 6-17 years.

TBVP and conventional oral hygiene instructions were administered as an intervention in the test group (TBVP). The control group (oral health education [OHE]) received conventional oral hygiene instructions. Assessment of toothbrushing skills, plaque, and gingival status were carried out at baseline, 30-, 60-, and 90-days. The data were analyzed using t-tests in SPSS version 26 software at P < 0.05.

At baseline, there was no significant difference between the groups in toothbrushing skills, plaque, and gingival scores. Postintervention, there was a significant improvement in the TBVP group compared to the OHE group. At 90 days, the mean toothbrushing scores of TBVP group were significantly higher (22.49 ± 6.70) than the OHE group (18.35 ± 6.82). Plaque scores were significantly lower (1.31 ± 0.48) in the TBVP group than the OHE group (1.47 ± 0.50).

Gingival scores were significantly lower (1.38 ± 0.48) in the TBVP group than the OHE group (1.56 ± 0.51) (P < 0.05). The TBVP was effective in improving the toothbrushing skills, oral hygiene, and gingival health of the children with autism. Hence, it can be used for behavioural guidance in toothbrushing for these children to maintain their oral hygiene.