Comparison of the efficacy of parental brushing using powered versus manual tooth brush: A randomized, four-period, two-treatment, single-blinded crossover study.

Background Children <5 years of age need parental assistance with tooth brushing. Purpose The aim is to compare the efficacy of manual and powered toothbrushes for plaque removal when used by parents to brush their children's teeth. Methods This randomized, four-period, two-treatment, examiner-blinded, crossover clinical trial comprised children aged 3-5 years. Tooth brushing was performed by the parent using a manual or powered toothbrush. Pre- and post-brushing plaque assessments were performed using the Turesky Modified Quigley-Hein Plaque Index. Differences in plaque scores were calculated using the paired t-test. Results A significant difference (P < 0.001) in the reduction of the plaque score was observed between the manual and powered tooth brushing groups. Conclusion Powered toothbrushes performed significantly better than manual toothbrushes in terms of plaque removal when used by parents to brush their child's teeth.