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

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.

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.

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.

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.