Incentives for Daily Tooth Brushing to Reduce Gingivitis

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Gingivitis
• Interventions: Behavioral: Financial Incentives; Behavioral: Cognitive Incentives; Behavioral: Financial and Cognitive Incentives

• Registration Number: NCT02160418
• Lead Sponsor: University of Pennsylvania

Brief Summary

In this randomized controlled study, the investigators compare two classes of behavioral approaches to change habits and health outcomes with an application to dental health: cognitive vs. behavioral financial incentives. Under cognitive incentives subjects are paid to correctly answer health-related quizzes. Under behavioral incentives subjects earn money for making healthy choices. The investigators apply these incentives to toothbrushing, a daily health-related behavior critical to the prevention of dental caries and periodontal disease, two high-burden conditions among US adults.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2014-06
• Study First Submitted: 2014-06-03
• Study First Submitted QC: 2014-06-06
• Study First Posted: 2014-06-10
• Status Verified: 2017-04
• Primary Completion: 2017-04-14
• Study Completion: 2017-12
• Last Update Submitted: 2018-04-04
• Last Update Posted: 2018-04-05

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 152

Inclusion Criteria

• Male or female older than 18 years, with at least 10 teeth present.

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Exclusion Criteria

• Pregnancy, uncontrolled diabetes, systemic antibiotics taken within the previous 2 months, need for referral for periodontal treatment.

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Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: FACTORIAL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Financial Incentives	Financial Incentives	36 Participants will receive a toothbrush and twice daily reminders to brush their teeth. They will also be offered financial incentives twice a day to brush their teeth.
Cognitive Incentives	Cognitive Incentives	36 Participants will receive a toothbrush and twice daily reminders to brush their teeth. Twice a week, they will receive text messages (SMS) with a short quiz question related to oral hygiene behavior and oral health. Participants will receive a reward if they answer correctly via text message.
Financial and Cognitive Incentives	Financial and Cognitive Incentives	36 Participants will receive a toothbrush and twice daily reminders to brush their teeth. Twice daily they receive financial incentives to brush their teeth. Twice a week, they will receive text messages (SMS) with a short quiz question related to oral hygiene behavior and oral health. Participants will receive a reward if they answer correctly via text message.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Follow-up Gingival Index	6 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Frequency and duration of toothbrushing	3 months
End of treatment Gingival Index	3 months	Gingival Index at the end of behavioral incentives

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

University of Pennsylvania; 🇺🇸 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States