Improving Gum Health Among Older Adults Using AI Based mHealth for Personalized OHI

NCT07187453 | Active Not Recruiting DMC

• 1 other identifier: UW 25-043
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 88
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Background: Many older adults in Hong Kong lack thorough tooth cleaning and regular dental check-ups, which can lead to plaque-induced gum diseases and systemic health issues. A self-developed Mobile Health (mHealth) system, which utilizes smartphone photographs and artificial intelligence (AI), has been shown to accurately detect gum health. Personalized oral hygiene instruction (POHI) can then be provided based on the detected results. Objectives:

1. 1.To improve gum health among non-institutionalized older adults using mHealth and POHI.
2. 2.To evaluate the clinical effectiveness of mHealth and POHI in improving gum health.

Conditions

Gum Inflammation; Periodontal Diseases; Oral Hygiene, Oral Health

Keywords

Gum Health; Oral Hygiene; Oral Health; Mobile Health; Artificial Intelligence; Elderly; Personalized Oral Hygiene Instruction

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Plaque Index

  Oral Hygiene status assessment using plaque index ((Silness and Loe, 1965), with a scale from 0 to 3 (higher scores mean worse outcome) on index teeth only as follow. 0 = No plaque in the gingival area. 1. = A film of plaque adhering to the free gingival margin and adjacent area of the tooth. The plaque may only be recognized by running a probe across the tooth surface. 2. = Moderate accumulation of soft deposits within the gingival pocket, on the gingival margin and/or adjacent tooth sur- face, which can be seen by the naked eye. 3. = Abundance of soft matter within the gingival pocket and/or on the gingival margin and adjacent tooth surface.

  From enrollment (Baseline) Vs 3 months Vs 6 months Vs 9 months Vs 1 year

• Gingival Index

  Gingival health status assessment using gingival index. Dentist will perform clinical examination of anterior teeth using mouth mirror and periodontal probe to grade gingival index (gingival index (Löe H 1967), with a scale from 0 to 3, (higher scores mean worse outcome)) on index teeth. 0 = normal gingiva; 1. = mild inflammation: a slight change in colour, slight oedema, no bleeding on probing; 2. = moderate inflammation: redness, oedema, glazing, or bleeding on probing; 3. = severe inflammation: marked redness and oedema, a tendency toward spontaneous bleeding, and ulceration.

  From enrollment (Baseline) Vs 3months Vs 6 months Vs 9 months Vs 1 year

Secondary Outcomes (3)

• Dental plaque microbiology

  At baseline only (cross sectional data)

• International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS) for dental caries status

  From enrollment (Baseline) Vs 3 months Vs 6 months Vs 9 months Vs 1 year

• The Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI)

  From enrollment (Baseline) Vs 3 months Vs 6 months Vs 9 months Vs 1 year

Study Arms (1)

Test Group (only)

EXPERIMENTAL

This study is single test group (no control) study with pre vs post design. The (only) single test group will receive an intervention which involve the delivering personalized oral hygiene advice using AI assisted gum disease screening tool by non-dental personnel social workers.

Behavioral: Personalized Oral Hygiene Advice using AI assisted mHealth Tool by Non-Dental Personnel

Interventions

Personalized Oral Hygiene Advice using AI assisted mHealth Tool by Non-Dental Personnel BEHAVIORAL

The intervention involve the delivering personalized oral hygiene advice using AI assisted gum disease screening tool by non-dental personnel social workers. Our proposed intervention involve AI to assist in the self-detection of gum disease, and emphasizes the use of mHealth for disease prevention and monitoring. Moreover, the proposed project focuses on providing personalized oral hygiene instruction, which can be utilized or provided by non-dental personnel volunteers. This combination of AI, mHealth, and personalized instruction in addition with regular service of non-dental personnel volunteers is a novel approach in managing periodontal health among older adults.

Test Group (only)

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 60 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Subjects aged ≥60 years and able to give informed consent:
• Subjects who are mentally and cognitively healthy
• Subjects who have at least 20 anterior maxillary or mandibular natural teeth including incisors and canine.
• Subjects who can speak, read, or understand Cantonese for complete the satisfaction questionnaire.
• Subjects who can practice oral hygiene procedure (regular tooth brushing and interdental cleansing/flossing/brushing) daily on their own independently.

You may not qualify if:

• Subjects who have less than 20 anterior maxillary or mandibular natural teeth with or without dental prostheses in those area.
• Subjects who have mental illness, or similar problems that unable to complete the satisfaction questionnaire.
• Subjects who cannot perform oral hygiene procedure (regular tooth brushing and interdental cleansing/flossing/brushing) by any condition of oral cavity such as tumor or maxillomandibular fixation.
• Subjects who cannot attend weekly oral hygiene instruction at centers.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• The University of Hong Kong: lead

Study Sites (1)

Prince Philip Dental Hospital

Hong Kong, Central and Western, 999077, Hong Kong

Location

Related Publications (4)

• Chau RCW, Cheng ACC, Mao K, Thu KM, Ling Z, Tew IM, Chang TH, Tan HJ, McGrath C, Lo WL, Hsung RT, Lam WYH. External Validation of an AI mHealth Tool for Gingivitis Detection among Older Adults at Daycare Centers: A Pilot Study. Int Dent J. 2025 Jun;75(3):1970-1978. doi: 10.1016/j.identj.2025.01.008. Epub 2025 Jan 26.

  PMID: 39864975 BACKGROUND

• Chau RCW, Li GH, Tew IM, Thu KM, McGrath C, Lo WL, Ling WK, Hsung RT, Lam WYH. Accuracy of Artificial Intelligence-Based Photographic Detection of Gingivitis. Int Dent J. 2023 Oct;73(5):724-730. doi: 10.1016/j.identj.2023.03.007. Epub 2023 Apr 26.

  PMID: 37117096 BACKGROUND

• Chau RCW, Thu KM, Chaurasia A, Hsung RTC, Lam WY. A Systematic Review of the Use of mHealth in Oral Health Education among Older Adults. Dent J (Basel). 2023 Aug 8;11(8):189. doi: 10.3390/dj11080189.

  PMID: 37623285 BACKGROUND

• Chau RC, Thu KM, Hsung RT, McGrath C, Lam WY. Self-monitoring of Oral Health Using Smartphone Selfie Powered by Artificial Intelligence: Implications for Preventive Dentistry. Oral Health Prev Dent. 2024 Sep 23;22:327-340. doi: 10.3290/j.ohpd.b5758200.

  PMID: 39308412 BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Gingivitis; Periodontal Diseases

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Infections; Gingival Diseases; Mouth Diseases; Stomatognathic Diseases

Study Officials

• Walter Lam, BDS, MDS, AdvDip Prosth, PhD

  The University of Hong Kong

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Clinical Associate Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: September 18, 2025
• First Posted: September 23, 2025
• Study Start: September 10, 2025
• Primary Completion: December 31, 2025
• Study Completion (Estimated): July 10, 2026
• Last Updated: April 30, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-04

Locations

HK (1)