A Social Media Intervention for Promoting Oral Health Behaviors in Adolescents: A Non-Randomized Pilot Clinical Trial

• Main Authors: Susana J. Calderon (Author), Carissa L. Comnick (Author), Alissa Villhauer (Author), Teresa Marshall (Author), Jan-Ulrik Dahl (Author), Jeffrey A. Banas (Author), David R. Drake (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: MDPI AG, 2023-05-01T00:00:00Z.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.
• Notes: 10.3390/oral3020018; 2673-6373
• Keywords: oral health; adolescent; tooth brushing; text message; smartphone; Dentistry; RK1-715
• Source: Oral, Vol 3, Iss 2, Pp 203-214 (2023)

Poor oral hygiene and excessive consumption of soda are among the main drivers of systemic health issues in adolescents in the United States. This non-randomized pilot clinical trial focused on the effects of a health text message system and smartphone-based intervention on adolescent tooth-brushing behavior and dietary choices, with a convenience sample of 94 participants aged 12 to 14 years old. A group of 75 participants agreed to use a tooth-brushing app and received a health text message; the other group of 15 agreed to use the tooth-brushing app, but did not receive a health text message. Saliva specimens were collected directly before and at the end of each experiment; changes in the salivary presence of cariogenic bacteria over the duration of the study were evaluated and compared with the demographics and behavioral variables. Within the text message group, 5% of participants increased the frequency of daily tooth brushing. Within the non-intervention group, 29% of participants increased the frequency of their daily tooth brushing. There were reductions in the total salivary bacteria and total streptococci in both groups (<i>p</i> < 0.001), but no change in the presence of cariogenic <i>Mutans streptococci.</i> Raising adolescents' consciousness of oral health behavior resulted in marginal to moderate improvements to oral hygiene and dietary choices, as well as reductions in total salivary bacteria.