Plaque Removal Efficiency in Children With Specific Learning Disabilities (PRE-SLD)

May 21, 2026 updated by: Gül Keskin, Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat University

Quantitative Analysis of Plaque Removal Efficiency in Children With Specific Learning Disabilities

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of toothbrushing education on plaque removal in children aged 7-12 years with specific learning disabilities (SLD) and to compare their plaque removal performance with healthy children. Participants will receive standardized toothbrushing education supported by visual and auditory materials. Plaque Index, Gingival Index, and photograph-based quantitative plaque analyses will be evaluated at baseline and after a 2-week follow-up period.

Study Overview

Status

Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Dental plaque is one of the major etiological factors associated with oral diseases such as dental caries and gingival inflammation. Effective plaque control through proper toothbrushing habits plays an important role in maintaining oral health in children. However, children with specific learning disabilities (SLD) may experience difficulties in acquiring and maintaining adequate oral hygiene behaviors because of limitations in learning processes, attention, and motor coordination.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the short-term effectiveness of structured toothbrushing education in children aged 7-12 years with SLD and to compare plaque removal performance with healthy children using photograph-based quantitative analysis methods.

The study will be conducted at the Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat University. Children diagnosed with SLD and age-matched healthy controls will be included in the study. All participants will receive standardized toothbrushing education supported by visual cards and educational videos. Educational materials will be prepared in a child-friendly format and based on the Modified Bass toothbrushing technique.

A plaque-disclosing agent will be applied to all participants to visualize dental plaque before photography. Intraoral photographs will be obtained under standardized conditions using the same lighting, camera settings, and imaging protocol. At each evaluation session, intraoral photographs will be obtained both before and after toothbrushing in order to assess immediate plaque removal effectiveness. Quantitative plaque analysis will be performed using ImageJ/FIJI software by calculating plaque percentage (P%) values from disclosed plaque areas.

Participants will use standardized toothbrushes and toothpaste throughout the study period. During the 2-week follow-up period, children will be encouraged to continue toothbrushing under parental supervision using the taught brushing technique. At follow-up visits, Plaque Index, Gingival Index, plaque disclosure, and intraoral photography procedures will be repeated to evaluate changes in plaque removal effectiveness and oral hygiene performance.

The findings of this study are expected to contribute to the development of individualized oral hygiene education approaches for children with specific learning disabilities and to support the use of photograph-based quantitative plaque analysis methods in pediatric dentistry research.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

70

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Locations

  • Turkey (Türkiye)
    • Antalya
      • Alanya, Antalya, Turkey (Türkiye), 07400
        • Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat University Faculty of Dentistry
        • Contact:
        • Contact:

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Child

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Diagnosis of specific learning disabilities confirmed by a child and adolescent psychiatry specialist for the study group Confirmation by a child and adolescent psychiatry specialist that the control group participants are healthy and do not have any psychiatric diagnosis Age between 7 and 12 years Written informed consent obtained from parents or legal guardians

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Children with additional psychiatric diagnoses such as autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or intellectual disability Children with systemic health problems or physical disabilities that may interfere with participation in the study

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
  • Allocation: Non-Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Children With Specific Learning Disabilities
Children with specific learning disabilities receiving standardized toothbrushing education.
Behavioral: Standardized Toothbrushing Education
Participants will receive standardized toothbrushing education supported by visual educational cards and educational videos based on the Modified Bass toothbrushing technique. The education program will include step-by-step practical instruction, mirror-assisted self-modeling, and parental involvement. Standardized toothbrushes and toothpaste will be provided to all participants. Plaque removal effectiveness will be evaluated using plaque-disclosing agents, intraoral photographs obtained before and after toothbrushing, and quantitative plaque analysis performed with ImageJ/FIJI software.
Active Comparator: Healthy Control Children
Healthy children receiving standardized toothbrushing education.
Behavioral: Standardized Toothbrushing Education
Participants will receive standardized toothbrushing education supported by visual educational cards and educational videos based on the Modified Bass toothbrushing technique. The education program will include step-by-step practical instruction, mirror-assisted self-modeling, and parental involvement. Standardized toothbrushes and toothpaste will be provided to all participants. Plaque removal effectiveness will be evaluated using plaque-disclosing agents, intraoral photographs obtained before and after toothbrushing, and quantitative plaque analysis performed with ImageJ/FIJI software.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in plaque percentage (P%) measured using ImageJ/FIJI analysis
Time Frame: Baseline and 2 weeks
Quantitative plaque percentage changes will be evaluated using disclosed plaque areas obtained from intraoral photographs before and after toothbrushing procedures.
Baseline and 2 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in Plaque Index scores
Time Frame: Baseline and 2 weeks
Changes in Plaque Index scores will be evaluated before toothbrushing education and after the 2-week follow-up period.
Baseline and 2 weeks
Change in Gingival Index scores
Time Frame: Baseline and 2 weeks
Changes in Gingival Index scores will be evaluated before toothbrushing education and after the 2-week follow-up period.
Baseline and 2 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat University

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

June 1, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

October 1, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

October 1, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

May 21, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 21, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

May 28, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

May 28, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 21, 2026

Last Verified

May 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • ALKU-PEDO-2025-10/1

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

IPD Plan Description

Individual participant data (IPD) will not be shared due to participant confidentiality and privacy considerations.

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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