Pilot study of the effectiveness and acceptability of an automatic toothbrush among residents in long-term care.

Aims: Reduced mobility and/or low cognitive functioning may make it difficult for residents with special care needs in long-term care homes to brush their own teeth every day. Demands on caregiving staff in these homes may also result in skipping essential toothbrushing tasks, resulting in poor oral health.

Methods And Results: This article provides the results of a 6-week pilot study that tested the effectiveness and acceptability of the Willo automatic toothbrush "robot" used among residents in long-term care compared to their regular toothbrush.