Effectiveness of foam tooth brush on oral health status of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder - A randomized controlled trial

Background: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder in children that can impair their ability to maintain oral hygiene. It is broadly classified into inattentive and hyperactive types, associated with distinct oral health challenges. Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a foam toothbrush on the oral hygiene status of children with ADHD. Materials and Methods: A total of 68 children aged 6–12 years, diagnosed with either the inattentive or hyperactive type of ADHD, were randomly assigned to use either a regular or a foam toothbrush. Oral health status was assessed using visual plaque scores and gingival bleeding scores at baseline, 15 days, 1 month, and 3 months. Results: In children with the hyperactive type of ADHD, the foam toothbrush resulted in a significantly greater reduction in plaque scores compared to the regular toothbrush. In addition, at the 3-month follow-up, children with both inattentive and hyperactive ADHD types using the foam toothbrush exhibited a significant decrease in gingival scores. Conclusion: The foam toothbrush demonstrated superior efficacy in improving oral hygiene, particularly in children with the hyperactive type of ADHD.