Non-Cochrane · intervention · PM41943011
Effect of mobile applications in oral health promotion among elderly people: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Wang Yuanchen, Zhan Zhengzhe, Yan Kaixiao, et al. · BMC oral health · 2026 · PubMed · doi:10.1186/s12903-026-08202-z
Findings
Population Elderly people aged 65 years or older
13 findings
| Mobile applications for oral health promotion | Conventional education strategies | Gingival index Longest follow-up · Senior centers, dental practices and community | SMD -0.37 [-1.35, 0.60] -0.37 [-1.35, 0.60] SMD Very low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision, inconsistency 2 studies · 60 participants |
| Mobile applications for oral health promotion | Conventional education strategies | GOHAI Longest follow-up · Senior centers, dental practices and community | SMD 0.04 [-0.36, 0.44] 0.04 [-0.36, 0.44] SMD Very low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision 2 studies · 97 participants |
| Mobile applications for oral health promotion | Conventional education strategies | OHIP-14 Longest follow-up · Senior centers, dental practices and community | SMD -0.18 [-0.49, 0.13] -0.18 [-0.49, 0.13] SMD Very low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision 3 studies · 165 participants |
| Mobile applications for oral health promotion | No intervention | Gingival index Longest follow-up · Senior centers, dental practices and community | SMD -1.04 [-2.72, 0.63] -1.04 [-2.72, 0.63] SMD Very low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision, inconsistency 2 studies · 99 participants |
| Mobile applications for oral health promotion | No intervention | Cheek strength Longest follow-up · Senior centers, dental practices and community | SMD -0.15 [-0.54, 0.24] -0.15 [-0.54, 0.24] SMD Low Downgraded: imprecision 2 studies · 99 participants |
| Mobile applications for oral health promotion | No intervention | OHIP-14 Longest follow-up · Senior centers, dental practices and community | SMD -0.82 [-1.59, -0.05] -0.82 [-1.59, -0.05] SMD Very low Downgraded: risk of bias, inconsistency 3 studies · 150 participants |
| Mobile applications for oral health promotion | No intervention | Unstimulated saliva flow rate (USFR) Longest follow-up · Senior centers, dental practices and community | SMD 1.93 [0.85, 3.01] 1.93 [0.85, 3.01] SMD Very low Downgraded: risk of bias, inconsistency 3 studies · 142 participants |
| Mobile applications for oral health promotion | No intervention | Posterior tongue strength Longest follow-up · Senior centers, dental practices and community | SMD 0.26 [-0.14, 0.65] 0.26 [-0.14, 0.65] SMD Low Downgraded: imprecision 2 studies · 99 participants |
| Mobile applications for oral health promotion | No intervention | Unstimulated saliva flow rate (USFR) Longest follow-up · Senior centers, dental practices and community · Subgroup 2 (OHEMA intervention over six weeks: Ki 2021, Lee 2024) | SMD 2.46 [1.91, 3.02] GRADE not reported 2 studies · 91 participants |
| Mobile applications for oral health promotion | No intervention | GOHAI Longest follow-up · Senior centers, dental practices and community | SMD -0.37 [-0.91, 0.17] -0.37 [-0.91, 0.17] SMD Very low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision 3 studies · 150 participants |
| Mobile applications for oral health promotion | No intervention | Winkel tongue coating index Longest follow-up · Senior centers, dental practices and community | SMD -1.02 [-1.66, -0.39] -1.02 [-1.66, -0.39] SMD Low Downgraded: risk of bias, inconsistency 2 studies · 99 participants |
| Mobile applications for oral health promotion | No intervention | O'Leary index Longest follow-up · Senior centers, dental practices and community | SMD -0.89 [-1.79, 0.02] -0.89 [-1.79, 0.02] SMD Very low Downgraded: imprecision, inconsistency 2 studies · 99 participants |
| Mobile applications for oral health promotion | No intervention | Anterior tongue strength Longest follow-up · Senior centers, dental practices and community | SMD 0.00 [-0.39, 0.39] 0.00 [-0.39, 0.39] SMD Low Downgraded: imprecision 2 studies · 99 participants |
Included primary studies 9
Open in Studies| Study | Year | Also included by | Outcomes it informs here | Trial data |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jung 2024 Smartphone-based combined oral and whole-body exercise programme aimed at improving oral functions: A randomized clinical trial. PMID:38606673 | 2024 | 2 other reviews | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Ki 2021 Effect of Oral Health Education Using a Mobile App (OHEMA) on the Oral Health and Swallowing-Related Quality of Life in Community-Based… PMID:34770193 | 2021 | 2 other reviews | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Lee 2021 Effectiveness of an oral health education programme using a mobile application for older adults: A randomised clinical trial. PMID:34951060 | 2023 | 1 other review | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Romalee 2023 Effectiveness of mobile augmented reality-integrated oral health education for community-dwelling older adults: A randomized controlled… PMID:37995647 | 2024 | 1 other review | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Lee 2024 Effects of smartphone app-based oral muscle strength training on functional improvement in the elderly DOI:10.13065/jksdh.20240302 | 2024 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Ng 2021 Effect of educational progressive web application on patient's oral and denture knowledge and hygiene: A randomised controlled trial. PMID:34325550 | 2021 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Nishi 2019 The effect of mobile personalised texting versus non-personalised texting on the caries risk of underprivileged adults: a randomised… PMID:30866895 | 2019 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Wan Abd Manan 2025 Impact of WhatsApp on improving denture care knowledge and the awareness of the relationship between edentulism and general health. PMID:39616100 | 2025 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Wanyonyi 2022 e-Oral health interventions for older patients in an outreach primary dental care centre: A pilot trial nested acceptability study. PMID:34018237 | 2022 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
Overlap with other reviews
Reviews that include the same primary studies are not independent evidence. Shared counts match studies by PMID, DOI or NCT, and otherwise by author and year (a probable match). Only the non-Cochrane dental reviews have study lists, so overlap with Cochrane reviews is not counted yet.
Review question
| Element | Planned (methods) | Found (results) |
|---|---|---|
| Population | Elderly people over 65 years with certain cognitive ability and self-care ability | Older adults aged 65 and over (n=402) |
| Intervention | Any oral health promotion intervention using mobile applications via smartphones and tablets | Asynchronous smartphone apps (n=7) or asynchronous/synchronous text messaging (n=2); duration 2 weeks to 6 months |
| Comparison | Conventional strategies (e.g. lecture-based education) or no intervention | Conventional education (lecture, verbal, leaflet) or no intervention |
| Outcomes | Oral health-related knowledge; oral health-related daily behaviors; dental treatment adherence; periodontal outcomes/oral hygiene levels; caries and tooth loss; oral health-related quality of life | Gingival index; USFR; OHIP-14; GOHAI; anterior and posterior tongue strength; cheek strength; O'Leary index; Winkel tongue coating index (meta-analyzed); knowledge, plaque and caries outcomes (not pooled) |
| Study designs | Randomized controlled trials | 9 RCTs |
| Timing | Not specified | Follow-up 2 weeks to 6 months |