Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2024 Dec 8;11(12):1498.
doi: 10.3390/children11121498.

The Relationship Between Manual Dexterity and Toothbrushing Efficiency in Preschool Children: A Crossover Study

Lisbeth Macote-Orosco  1 , Andrea Martín-Vacas  1   2 , Marta M Paz-Cortés  1   2 , María Rosa Mourelle Martínez  2   3 , M Joaquín de Nova  2   3
Affiliations

The Relationship Between Manual Dexterity and Toothbrushing Efficiency in Preschool Children: A Crossover Study

Lisbeth Macote-Orosco et al. Children (Basel). .

Abstract

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between oral hygiene (OH) efficiency and manual dexterity skills in Spanish five-year-old children using two fine motor tests.

Methods: A cross-sectional study with a pre-post evaluation was designed. The children's OH was measured according to the Silness and Löe plaque index (PI) before toothbrushing upon arrival at school (pre) and after supervised toothbrushing (post). Motor skills (children's dexterity) were determined with the Visual Motor Skills and Resistance to Fatigue test (VMSRF test) and the scale for the Behavioural Assessment of Preschool Skills (BAPS scale). Data were analysed with the SPSS® statistics software with a 95% confidence interval and bilateral significance.

Results: One hundred and twenty-nine children were evaluated. The mean PI was 2.5, indicating generally poor OH in the sample. No difference in OH was observed between genders or in the brushing frequency categories. No significant differences in OH or the PI were found between right- and left-handed children either (p > 0.05). Significant differences were found between the OH category pre and post toothbrushing in the total sample, as well as in the various sextants and surfaces evaluated. The results of the VMSRF and BAPS tests indicate moderate visuomotor skills and fatigue resistance and a poor average skill level. A statistically significant improvement in the PI was found in children with higher scores in the VMSRF and BAPS tests.

Conclusions: A significantly higher OH efficacy was found in children with better motor skills, although five-year-old children showed moderate visuomotor skills and fatigue resistance and a poor average preschool skill level.

Keywords: oral health; oral hygiene; paediatric dentistry; preventive dentistry; toothbrushing.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Teeth included in each evaluated sextant.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Evaluation of OH categories according to gender and sextant.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Evaluation of OH categories according to gender and buccal (B) or lingual (L) dental surfaces.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Motor skill evaluation according to VMSRF and BAPS tests.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Analysis of VMSRF test and OH post brushing according to sextant and surface evaluation.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Analysis of BAPS test and OH post brushing according to sextant and surface evaluation.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Cogulu D., Ersin N.K., Uzel A., Eronat N., Aksit S. A long-term effect of caries-related factors in initially caries-free children. Int. J. Paediatr. Dent. 2008;18:361–367. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-263X.2007.00859.x. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Jin L.J., Lamster I.B., Greenspan J.S., Pitts N.B., Scully C., Warnakulasuriya S. Global burden of oral diseases: Emerging concepts, management and interplay with systemic health. Oral Dis. 2016;22:609–619. doi: 10.1111/odi.12428. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Al-Ahmad A., Roth D., Wolkewitz M., Wiedmann-Al-Ahmad M., Follo M., Ratka-Krüger P., Deimling D., Hellwig E., Hannig C. Change in diet and oral hygiene over an 8-week period: Effects on oral health and oral biofilm. Clin. Oral Investig. 2010;14:391–396. doi: 10.1007/s00784-009-0318-9. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Zijnge V., Van Leeuwen M.B.M., Degener J.E., Abbas F., Thurnheer T., Gmür R., Harmsen H.J.M. Oral biofilm architecture on natural teeth. PLoS ONE. 2010;5:e9321. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0009321. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Hope C.K., Petrie A., Wilson M. Efficacy of removal of sucrose-supplemented interproximal plaque by electric toothbrushes in an in vitro model. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 2005;71:1114–1116. doi: 10.1128/AEM.71.2.1114-1116.2005. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources