BRIGHT for academics
A behaviour change intervention to prevent dental caries in secondary school pupils: the BRIGHT trial.
Problem
Dental caries impacts on children’s daily lives, particularly among those living in deprived areas. However, there is a lack of evidence-based programmes for older children to improve oral health.
Solution
The BRIGHT trial aimed to determine the clinical and cost-effectiveness of a behaviour change intervention promoting toothbrushing for preventing dental caries in secondary-school pupils.
- 42 secondary schools in Scotland, England and Wales with above the national average proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals (FSM).
- Participants aged 11-13 years at recruitment, who owned a mobile phone; followed up for 2.5 years.
- Included health economic and process evaluation.
More details can be found at the University of York website.
Findings
Our findings are summarised below.
Lesson pack
The lesson pack used in the BRIGHT trial, including resources for teachers and pupils, has been endorsed by the Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) Association and is freely available from their website.
Funding
This study was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Programme.
Project number 15/166/08 Interventions to Improve Oral Health in Deprived Young People.
The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.
The funding was based on a commissioned call.
Publications
Ainsworth, H., Marshman, Z., Whiteside, K. et al. Set up and assessment of progression criteria for internal pilots: the Brushing RemInder 4 Good oral HealTh (BRIGHT) trial example. Pilot Feasibility Stud 9, 17 (2023).
Elyousfi S, Innes N, Leggett H et al. Acceptability of the Brushing RemInder 4 Good oral HealTh (BRIGHT) trial intervention: a qualitative study of perspectives of young people and school staff. BMC Oral Health 22, 44 (2022)
Innes N, Fairhurst C, Whiteside K, et al. Behaviour change intervention for toothbrushing (lesson and text messages) to prevent dental caries in secondary school pupils: The BRIGHT randomized control trial. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 2024; 00: 1-10
Marshman, Z., Fairhurst, C., El Yousfi, S. et al. The oral health of secondary school pupils: baseline data from the Brushing RemInder 4 Good oral HealTh (BRIGHT) trial. Br Dent J (2023).
Marshman Z, Ainsworth H, Chestnutt IG, Day P, Dey D, El Yousfi S et al. ‘Brushing RemInder 4 Good oral HealTh (BRIGHT) trial: does an SMS behaviour change programme with a classroom-based session improve the oral health of young people living in deprived areas? A study protocol of a randomised controlled trial’. BMC Trials. 2019 Jul 23;20(1):1-12. 452.
Marshman Z, El-Yousfi S, Kellar I, Dey D, Robertson M, Day P, Chestnutt I, Pavitt S, Araujo M, Innes N. Development of a secondary school-based digital behaviour change intervention to improve tooth brushing. BMC Oral Health 21, 546 (2021).
Marshman, Z., Ainsworth, H. R., Chestnutt, I. G., Day, P., Dey, D., El Yousfi, S., Fairhurst, C. M., Gilchrist, F., Hewitt, C. E., Jones, C., Kellar, I., Pavitt, S., Robertson, M., Shah, S. K., Stevens, K., Torgerson, D. J., & Innes, N. (2019). Brushing RemInder 4 Good oral HealTh (BRIGHT) trial: does an SMS behaviour change programme with a classroom-based session improve the oral health of young people living in deprived areas? A study protocol of a randomised controlled trial. Trials, 20(452)