Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42016636›Full record

ArticleClinical case reports2026

Restoring Oral Hygiene Autonomy Through a Customized Toothbrush Handle in a Patient With Rheumatoid Arthritis and Fibromyalgia.

Khalid Alfaifi, Ali Robaian, Abdulaziz Alsakr, Wael Alanazi, Abdullah Saad Alqahtani

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Clinical case reports, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Khalid AlfaifiSaudi Board of Family Dentistry, College of Dentistry Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University Al-Kharj Saudi Arabia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0004-8949-1172
Ali RobaianConservative Dental Sciences Department College of Dentistry Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University Alkharj Saudi Arabia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3620-1202
Abdulaziz AlsakrDepartment of Preventive Dental Sciences, College of Dentistry Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University Alkharj Saudi Arabia.
Wael AlanaziSaudi Board of Family Dentistry, College of Dentistry Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University Al-Kharj Saudi Arabia.
Abdullah Saad AlqahtaniDepartment of Preventive Dental Sciences, College of Dentistry Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University Al-kharj Saudi Arabia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0474-7067

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Early identification of functional limitations in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and fibromyalgia (FM) is essential, as chronic joint pain and reduced dexterity often impair basic oral hygiene practices. This case highlights a simple, cost-effective, and reproducible intervention using a customized soft putty toothbrush handle fabricated chairside and molded directly to the patient's grip. A 27-year-old male with longstanding RA and FM, and a history of smoking, presented with poor plaque control and brushing-associated pain. Following the chairside fabrication of an adaptive handle individually shaped to his grasp, plaque index improved dramatically from 91% to 15% within four months, with a corresponding reduction in discomfort from a VAS score of 5 to 1. This personalized ergonomic solution significantly improved brushing efficiency, comfort, and self-care independence, underscoring the importance of tailored oral hygiene aids in medically compromised populations.

Indexed as

disability and oral healthergonomic handlefibromyalgiaoral hygieneplaque indexrheumatoid arthritistoothbrush modification

Identifiers

PMID42016636
PMCPMC13093428

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.