According to the study published in the journal Indian Journal of Dental Research, researchers saw an increase in the accuracy of brush strokes, in number of strokes and an overall eight per cent improvement in tooth-brushing skill while taking a selfie video.
“Video and picture selfies are increasingly used in medical fields to assess, monitor and determine the progression of diseases and effectiveness of treatment — a new area of gathering data known as mobile health, or ‘mHealth’,” said Lance T. Vernon, researcher at the Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine.
The act of recording a selfie may disrupt ingrained habits, making participants conscious of their brushing and reinforced staples of behaviour change, including the process of memory formation, association and creating new muscle memory, suggested the study.
Before the study, participants’ brushing habits were assessed and corrected until each were able to demonstrate a proper brushing technique. During the study, they were scored on the time spent brushing and skill mastery, including brushing in a circular motion, obtaining a 45-degree angle while brushing facial surfaces of teeth and correct positioning of the arm.
Looking ahead, researchers envision a video-based monitoring app, which could record videos of patients brushing at home that are later reviewed by oral health professionals.
“Our study suggests that, in the future, recording these selfies can help shift some of this time investment in improving brushing to technology. Patients can then receive feedback from dental professionals,” added Vernon.
