Effectiveness of teaching methods for toothbrushing in preschool children

Abstract

Three different methods of instruction and motivation were used to assess the learning process and ability of preschool children in performing toothbrushing. Forty children from a private nursery of Brasília, DF, Brazil, were divided into 2 groups according to age (3-4 years old and 5-6 years old). The following methods of instruction and reinforcement were applied: I -audiovisual; II -child as a model; III -individual instruction. Professional prophylaxis was then performed and the children remained 48 hours without any kind of oral hygiene. Plaque disclosing and plaque index were carried out and recorded. The children subsequently brushed their teeth according to each method of instruction and a new plaque index was recorded. The data were analyzed statistically using the Student t-test and the comparison of two proportions. The results showed that the children of both groups reduced plaque index and that the individual instruction method was superior (p<0.05) to the others at all ages. Children older than 5 years of age were able to learn and accomplish toothbrushing better than younger children.

Promoting oral care in the preschool child: effects of a playful learning intervention

“…Considering the relationship between the child's age and the adoption of appropriate behaviors for tooth brushing, the findings of the present investigation are similar to those of a study developed at a kindergarten in Brasília-DF (15) . The study showed that children aged 5 to 6 years present a greater ability to properly brush their teeth when compared to children aged 3 and 4 years, showing that the manual ability for brushing skills is acquired after a certain age.…”

“…Audiovisuals, games, puppets, theater and dynamics are recommended as excellent means of promoting learning, providing children with a variety of experiences and stimuli in a fun and enjoyable way, and motivating them for self-care (16)(17) . The use of individual instruction for the practice of oral hygiene with preschoolers is also suggested, and is considered useful because it is an easy and low cost method (15) .…”

Effectiveness of oral hygiene after supervised tooth-brushing education in six-year-old children at a primary school in Vietnam

“…In addition, in the present study, the children appeared to absorb the knowledge quickly. Supervised tooth-brushing education appears to be very effective for this age group, as has been reported in previous studies [10,14]. This also supports the importance of early toothbrushing education, as well as the importance of supervision by an adult with a good knowledge of tooth-brushing techniques, which could be dental staff or teachers at the school, as well as parents.…”

“…eight to 12 year olds [12]. A previous study assessed the effectiveness of teaching methods for tooth-brushing in preschool children and reported that children older than five years of age were able to learn and perform tooth-brushing more effectively than younger children [14]. The duration and efficiency of tooth-brushing in four-to six-year-old children has been shown to be at least three minutes, while five minutes under supervision at least once a day was extremely safe and effective [13].…”

Análise de programas escolares de saúde bucal no Brasil

“…A seleção dos artigos resultou em 17 trabalhos para análise neste estudo [3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19] . Os dados obtidos foram organizados em tabelas, de acordo com a modalidade, com o tipo de atividade e com os resultados apresentados pelos programas escolares.…”