Digital Application for Promoting Evidence-Based Children’s Oral Health to Control Early Childhood Caries: Randomized Control Trial on Parental Acceptance and Efficacy

Abstract

Background: Early childhood caries (ECC) remains a major global health problem. Various measures to prevent it have been implemented in the past, including those using digital applications. Aim: To evaluate the acceptance and efficacy of a digital application (FU-APP) based on evidence-based caries control recommendations for parents of children aged 6–72 months. Methods: Part 1, prospective questionnaire-based survey to test FU-APP (usage, acceptance, content information, usefulness, and satisfaction) filled out by parents (n = 22); Part 2, two-armed (test n = 20; control n = 23) care-based, randomized controlled trial, where the test arm received instructions verbally and via FU-APP, and the control arm received them only verbally. At baseline and follow-up (4 weeks), intraoral clinical indices (plaque index-API and caries-dmft) were recorded. Results: FU-APP was considered by parents to be a suitable tool for gaining knowledge about oral health practices for their children (all criteria >86%). No differences in the dmft levels were expected. However, API was significantly better at the follow-up in the test-arm (p = 0.01), with no differences in the control-arm (p = 0.72). Conclusion: A digital application can serve as an innovative tool to promote evidence-based oral hygiene recommendations among parents of children to control ECC. Its long-term usability and functionality should be tested.