Incentives for Daily Tooth Brushing to Reduce Gingivitis

University of Pennsylvania

Status: Completed

Conditions: Gingivitis

Treatments: Behavioral: Financial and Cognitive Incentives; Behavioral: Cognitive Incentives; Behavioral: Financial Incentives

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02160418

819853

Details and patient eligibility

About

In this randomized controlled study, the investigators compare two classes of behavioral approaches to change habits and health outcomes with an application to dental health: cognitive vs. behavioral financial incentives. Under cognitive incentives subjects are paid to correctly answer health-related quizzes. Under behavioral incentives subjects earn money for making healthy choices. The investigators apply these incentives to toothbrushing, a daily health-related behavior critical to the prevention of dental caries and periodontal disease, two high-burden conditions among US adults.

Enrollment: 152 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Male or female older than 18 years, with at least 10 teeth present.

Exclusion criteria

• Pregnancy, uncontrolled diabetes, systemic antibiotics taken within the previous 2 months, need for referral for periodontal treatment.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Other

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Factorial Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

---

152 participants in 4 patient groups

Control

No Intervention group

Description:

36 Participants will be sent a new toothbrush and will be asked to use it in place of their current brush. They also receive twice daily reminders via sms to brush their teeth.

Financial Incentives

Experimental group

Description:

36 Participants will receive a toothbrush and twice daily reminders to brush their teeth. They will also be offered financial incentives twice a day to brush their teeth.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Financial Incentives

Cognitive Incentives

Experimental group

Description:

36 Participants will receive a toothbrush and twice daily reminders to brush their teeth. Twice a week, they will receive text messages (SMS) with a short quiz question related to oral hygiene behavior and oral health. Participants will receive a reward if they answer correctly via text message.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Cognitive Incentives

Financial and Cognitive Incentives

Experimental group

Description:

36 Participants will receive a toothbrush and twice daily reminders to brush their teeth. Twice daily they receive financial incentives to brush their teeth. Twice a week, they will receive text messages (SMS) with a short quiz question related to oral hygiene behavior and oral health. Participants will receive a reward if they answer correctly via text message.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Financial and Cognitive Incentives