A Global, In-Market Evaluation of Toothbrushing Behaviour and Self-assessed Gingival Bleeding with Use of App Data from an Interactive Electric Toothbrush

Purpose: To determine if an interactive electric toothbrush and smartphone application (app) can reduce self-reported gingival bleeding and promote better brushing behaviour based on global, in-market usage data.
Materials and Methods: Anonymised data were collected worldwide between July 2020 and January 2021 from users of interactive oscillating-rotating electric toothbrushes and app (Oral-B Genius, GeniusX and iO). Self-reported gingival bleeding and brushing behaviour data captured via the app were sent to Google Firebase and Google BigQuery to aid processing and analysis.
Results: Data from 16.7 million brushing sessions were analysed. 439,481 new users responded at least once to the app question: ‘Do you have gum bleeding?’ Of users answering the question over their first two weeks of app use (153,201), the proportion reporting bleeding decreased statistically significantly from week 1 to 2 (28.8% to 17.1%, p < 0.0001). Of users answering the question over each of the first five weeks (43,060) a further statistically significant decrease in those reporting bleeding was seen in each consecutive week, with the week-5 rate being 12.7% (p < 0.0001 vs any previous week). Decreases in duration of excessive pressure (i.e. > 2.5 N – 3.0 N depending on the handle) decreased the proportion of self-reported gingival bleeding (p < 0.0001). Users brushed longer and with less overpressure (p < 0.0001) with vs without live feedback from the app, and showed 94.4% average coverage with live feedback.
Conclusion: The interactive oscillating-rotating electric toothbrushes and app, particularly with live feedback, promote good brushing behaviour. Self-reported gingival bleeding occurred less frequently the longer the system was used.