Exploring the role of a novel color – changing toothpaste as an aid for improving children’s oral hygiene behavior: an in vivo study

Maintaining sound oral health, particularly in children, is essential, as poor oral hygiene can lead to a myriad of dental issues, including early childhood caries. However, many children struggle with developing consistent and effective brushing habits, often due to lack of motivation, poor comprehension of brushing techniques, and the monotony of the chore. Ensuring children adopt and maintain proper oral hygiene practices is a significant challenge for parents, caregivers and healthcare professionals. An innovative approach to improving children’s oral hygiene behaviors is by using a colour changing toothpaste. This product is designed to provide visual feedback during brushing by changing colour to purple after two minutes of brushing. This colour change helps children to identify that the brushing time is complete. The theory behind a colourchanging toothpaste is that it visually highlights the time needed to complete toothbrushing. By incorporating a fun, interactive element into the oral hygiene routine, the colour changing toothpaste could increase children’s engagement, making brushing a more exciting and rewarding experience. There is sparse scientific evidence exploring the true effectiveness of this novel toothpaste to improving children’s brushing technique, motivating them to brush regularly thereby reducing plaque buildup. While evidence suggests that children may find such products engaging, there has been little rigorous research to assess their potential to enhance oral hygiene behaviors systematically. This study aims to fill this gap by investigating the role of color changing toothpaste in influencing children’s oral hygiene behaviors, specifically focusing on the following key areas: Improvement in brushing technique, Increased motivation, Long term oral hygiene habits