Social Story Based Toothbrushing Education Versus Video-Modeling Based Toothbrushing Training on Oral Hygiene Status Among Male Students Aged 7-15 Years Old with Autism Spectrum Disorders in Tehran, Iran: A Quasi-Randomized Controlled Trial.

The study was not blinded; participants and parents knew which method they were using, which could influence reported behaviors. The follow-up period was only one month, which is too short to assess long-term behavior change or sustained oral health benefits. The intervention group received extra support from teachers and in-school practice sessions, while the comparison group did not. This makes it impossible to tell if the better outcome was due to the video method itself or the additional school-based reinforcement. The study only included male students with ASD levels 1 and 2, so results may not apply to females or those with more severe autism. School closures due to the pandemic prevented further follow-up assessments.

The study was funded by the Research Center for Caries Prevention at Tehran University of Medical Sciences. No other conflicts of interest were declared.

Do not conclude that video modeling is inherently superior to social stories for teaching toothbrushing. The video group also received teacher-led training and classroom practice, which the social story group did not. The extra school support, not just the video format, may have caused the better oral hygiene outcomes.