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Updated: Jun 3, 2025
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Behavioral Assessment of Manual Dexterity in Non-Human Primates
Published on: November 11, 2011
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The Relationship Between Manual Dexterity and Toothbrushing Efficiency in Preschool Children: A Crossover Study
Lisbeth Macote-Orosco1, Andrea Martín-Vacas1,2, Marta M Paz-Cortés1,2
1Faculty of Dentistry, Alfonso X El Sabio University, Villanueva de la Cañada, 28691 Madrid, Spain.
Children (Basel, Switzerland)
|January 8, 2025
Summary
Children with better manual dexterity skills demonstrated improved oral hygiene (OH) efficiency. This study highlights the link between fine motor skills and effective toothbrushing in five-year-olds.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Dentistry
- Developmental Psychology
- Motor Skill Development
Background:
- Oral hygiene (OH) is crucial for children's health.
- Manual dexterity may influence a child's ability to perform effective toothbrushing.
- Understanding this relationship can inform early intervention strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between oral hygiene efficiency and manual dexterity in Spanish five-year-old children.
- To utilize fine motor tests to assess manual dexterity and its impact on plaque index.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study with pre-post evaluation of oral hygiene using the Silness and Löe plaque index (PI).
- Manual dexterity assessed via the Visual Motor Skills and Resistance to Fatigue (VMSRF) test and the Behavioural Assessment of Preschool Skills (BAPS) scale.
- Data analyzed using SPSS with a 95% confidence interval.
Main Results:
- One hundred twenty-nine children were evaluated, showing a mean PI of 2.5 (generally poor OH).
- No significant differences in OH were found based on gender or handedness.
- Children with higher scores on VMSRF and BAPS tests demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in PI, indicating better OH efficacy.
Conclusions:
- Higher oral hygiene efficacy is significantly associated with better motor skills in five-year-old children.
- The study indicates moderate visuomotor skills and fatigue resistance but poor average preschool skills in the sample.
- Enhanced motor skills may lead to more effective toothbrushing and improved oral hygiene outcomes.
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