ASSESSMENT OF THE RELATIONSHIP OF MENTAL ABILITIES AND FINE MOTOR SKILLS WITH ORAL HYGIENE IN SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN

Abstract

The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between hand-eye coordination, the general level of intellectual abilities and fine motor skills with oral hygiene in school-age children. Two age groups of schoolchildren, 7-9 years old and 10-12 years old, were selected for the study. For children aged 7-9 years old, it was proposed to pass L. Bender's visual-motor gestalt test and Torrance's creativity test. For children 10-12 years old - a short orientation test and Torrance's creativity test. After testing, the oral hygiene index OHI-S was determined using indicator tablets. According to the test results, the following data were obtained. In children aged 7-9 years, L. Bender's visual-motor gestalt test showed values from 13-45 points, Torrance's creativity test - 26-96 points. In children aged 10-12 years, a short orientation test showed values of 4-17 points, Torrance's creativity test - 28-99 points. For further work with the data obtained, three groups were identified in each test: with high, medium, and low mental abilities. In each of the groups obtained, the average values of the level of hygiene were determined. The study found that low hygiene index scores correspond to those students whose test results for mental ability and fine motor skills are high, and vice versa, high hygiene index scores correspond to those children whose test scores are low. Thus, the level of oral hygiene is directly related to mental performance and fine motor skills in children.