Currently submitted to: JMIR Research Protocols
Date Submitted: Apr 21, 2026
Open Peer Review Period: Apr 22, 2026 - Jun 17, 2026
(currently open for review)
Warning: This is an author submission that is not peer-reviewed or edited. Preprints - unless they show as "accepted" - should not be relied on to guide clinical practice or health-related behavior and should not be reported in news media as established information.
Evaluating the Efficacy of the Brushyen Supervised Toothbrushing Program Among Preschool Children: A School-Based Study in Mangalore, India
ABSTRACT
Background:
Preschool children suffering from oral diseases have high levels of visible plaque is found on tooth surfaces signify the importance of oral hygiene maintenance for good oral health. Literature indicates that preschool children, specifically those aged 3 to 6 years, lack the fine motor skills and cognitive coordination required to perform effective plaque removal independently. Supervised Toothbrushing (STB), have demonstrated superior efficacy in reducing plaque scores and improving health. Older children will perform the task independently, But still they need assistance whereas younger children may need more support and supervision during brushing. Every month, children will participate in supervised toothbrushing programs where they brush their teeth at school using fluoridated toothpaste while being watched over by staff and peers. Despite the availability of various school health initiatives, the implementation of supervised brushing programmes in preschool settings is often limited. This paper presents the study protocol for newly introduced BrushYen Supervised Tooth Brushing Programme aims to promote ideal brushing technique, enhance children's motivation and establish consistent oral hygiene habits. However, there is limited evidence regarding its effectiveness among preschool children.
Objective:
To evaluate the reduction in plaque scores among preschool children at 1, 3, and 6 months following the implementation of the "Brushyen" program. And to assess the improvement in gingival health status at the same intervals. Another objective of the study is to determine the improvement in toothbrushing skills (dexterity) and parental awareness regarding oral hygiene.
Methods:
This study is a Quasi-experimental study. A total of 120 preschoolers studying in montessari of The Yenepoya school. The Monthly supervised toothbrushing sessions will be conducted post-lunch, where the BrushYen Champions will assist the teachers in monitoring the preschoolers. Clinical parameters will be recorded using the identical set of indices Visible Plaque Index, Modified Gingival Index, and Modified OHI-S to allow for a direct statistical comparison against baseline values, Participants will be followed up at 1, 3, and 6 months.
Results:
Enrollment started in June 2026. It is estimated that the enrollment period will be 12 months. Data collection is planned to be completed in 2027.
Conclusions:
The BrushYen Supervised Tooth Brushing Programme aims to promote ideal brushing technique, enhance children's motivation and establish consistent oral hygiene habits. However, there is limited evidence regarding its effectiveness among preschool children. Clinical Trial: Trial Acknowledgement Number is: CTRI/2026/03/107144
Citation
Request queued. Please wait while the file is being generated. It may take some time.
Copyright
© The authors. All rights reserved. This is a privileged document currently under peer-review/community review (or an accepted/rejected manuscript). Authors have provided JMIR Publications with an exclusive license to publish this preprint on it's website for review and ahead-of-print citation purposes only. While the final peer-reviewed paper may be licensed under a cc-by license on publication, at this stage authors and publisher expressively prohibit redistribution of this draft paper other than for review purposes.