What do systematic reviews say?

Electric toothbrush (self, carer or carer-assisted brushing) vs Manual toothbrush

• Oral hygiene interventions for people with intellectual disabilities 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Short term (<6 weeks)
  Electric vs manual toothbrush. Assorted gingival indices scale 0-4, 2-4 weeks; 252 participants (4 RCTs); Low. Four studies showed no significant differences for gingival inflammation short term; data could not be…
  4 studies · 252 participants
  Low

Toothpaste with a plaque-disclosing agent vs Conventional toothpaste

• Oral hygiene interventions for people with intellectual disabilities 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Short term (<6 weeks)
  Toothpaste with a plaque-disclosing agent vs conventional toothpaste, children with Down syndrome. Ainamo & Bay Gingival Bleeding Index, mean 10 days; percent mean difference 18 (intervention) vs 8 (control), P<0.001…
  1 study · 40 participants
  Very low

Toothpaste with a plaque-disclosing agent vs Conventional toothpaste

• Oral hygiene interventions for people with intellectual disabilities 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Short term (<6 weeks)
  Simplified Green & Vermillion Oral Hygiene Index (plaque), mean 10 days; percent mean difference 65 (intervention) vs 15 (control), P<0.0001 favouring the disclosing-agent toothpaste; 40 participants (SoF states 80,…
  1 study · 40 participants
  Very low

Oral hygiene training (toothbrushing routine) of people with ID vs No oral hygiene training of people with ID

It is very uncertain whether oral hygiene training (toothbrushing routine) of people with ID changes plaque (short term) compared with no oral hygiene training of people with ID (very low certainty).

• Oral hygiene interventions for people with intellectual disabilities 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Short term (<6 weeks)
  MD -0.47 [-0.92, -0.02]
  1 study · 10 participants
  Very low

Special manual toothbrush (self, carer or carer-assisted brushing) vs Manual toothbrush

It is very uncertain whether special manual toothbrush (self, carer or carer-assisted brushing) changes plaque (short term) compared with conventional manual toothbrush (self, carer or carer-assisted… (very low certainty).

• Oral hygiene interventions for people with intellectual disabilities 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Short term (<6 weeks)
  MD 0.20 [-0.45, 0.85]
  1 study · 25 participants
  Very low

Special manual toothbrush (self, carer or carer-assisted brushing) vs Manual toothbrush

Special manual toothbrush (self, carer or carer-assisted brushing) showed no clear difference in gingival inflammation (short term) compared with conventional manual toothbrush (self, carer or carer-assisted… (low certainty).

• Oral hygiene interventions for people with intellectual disabilities 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Short term (<6 weeks)
  MD -0.10 [-0.77, 0.57]
  1 study · 25 participants
  Low

Electric toothbrush (self, carer or carer-assisted brushing) vs Manual toothbrush

• Oral hygiene interventions for people with intellectual disabilities 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Short term (<6 weeks)
  Assorted plaque indices scale 0-5, 1-4 weeks; 247 participants (4 RCTs); Very Low. Uncertain effect on plaque short term: 2 studies (69 participants) favoured the electric toothbrush; 2 studies (178 participants)…
  4 studies · 247 participants
  Very low

Oral hygiene training (toothbrushing routine) of people with ID vs No oral hygiene training of people with ID

It is very uncertain whether oral hygiene training (toothbrushing routine) of people with ID changes gingival inflammation (short term) compared with no oral hygiene training of people with ID (very low certainty).

• Oral hygiene interventions for people with intellectual disabilities 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Short term (<6 weeks)
  MD -0.28 [-0.90, 0.34]
  1 study · 10 participants
  Very low

Daily toothbrushing by a dental student vs Twice-weekly or once-weekly toothbrushing by a dental student

• Oral hygiene interventions for people with intellectual disabilities 2019 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Short term (<6 weeks)
  Daily vs twice-weekly or once-weekly toothbrushing by dental students. Buccal and labial Loe & Silness index, mean 21 days; 80 participants (1 RCT); Low. Brushing daily most likely reduced gingival inflammation more…
  1 study · 80 participants
  Low