The Effectiveness of Using an Electric Toothbrush as a Plaque Control Tool in School-Autistic Children

Background: Autism is a condition of developmental abnormalities that have an impact on various aspects of life, including dental and oral health. An electric toothbrush is needed as a means of plaque control. Electric toothbrushes offer advantages such as timer features, increase accessibility, etc. Purpose: This study aims to determine the effectiveness of electric toothbrushes as a means of plaque control in children with autism. Methods: This study used the One Group Pretest Posttest research design and consisted of 24 subjects. This study used the Loe and Silness plaque index measurement. Before the research, education was carried out on the research subjects. The study was conducted by comparing the effectiveness of manual and electric toothbrushes on research subjects. Index scores were recorded before and after treatment. Results: The use of manual and electric toothbrushes both reduced the Loe and Silness plaque index scores. The use of a manual toothbrush reduced the mean plaque index score by 0.828 (34.07%). The use of an electric toothbrush reduced the average plaque index score by 1.10 (48.24%). The results of the paired t test (P <0.05) showed that there was a significant difference between the use of a manual toothbrush and an electric toothbrush. Conclusion: The use of an electric toothbrush can reduce plaque scores and is effective as a means of plaque control in school-age autistic children.