Saúde bucal em pacientes portadores de limitações/deficiências manuais
Saúde bucal em pacientes portadores de limitações/deficiências manuais
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.22533/at.ed.82082226120114
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Palavras-chave: Higiene oral; limitações motoras; força de preensão manual; dispositivos adaptativos; autocuidado; saúde bucal.
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Keywords: Oral hygiene; motor limitations; hand grip strength; adaptive devices; self-care; oral health
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Abstract: Upper limb motor function is central to effective oral hygiene. Neurological, musculoskeletal, or cognitive impairments compromise grip strength, precision, and range of motion, favoring biofilm accumulation, higher caries prevalence, and poorer periodontal status, also negatively affecting quality of life and social participation. In this context, individuals after stroke, as well as those with cerebral palsy, poliomyelitis, tetraplegia, and musculoskeletal disorders, demonstrate that reduced handgrip strength and limited joint flexibility hinder access to posterior areas of the oral cavity, resulting in poorer hygiene parameters (Simplified Oral Hygiene Index – OHI-S; Decayed, Missing, and Filled Teeth index – DMF-T; gingival bleeding) and increased caregiver dependence, although this relationship varies according to each patient’s clinical condition. Therefore, ergonomic and assistive interventions such as thickened handles, powered toothbrushes, orthoses, and low-cost adaptations, combined with interdisciplinary programs and caregiver education, have demonstrated functional gains and improvements in hygiene indices. However, methodological heterogeneity and the predominance of cross-sectional studies limit consistent recommendations, highlighting the need for randomized trials, standardized protocols, and longitudinal follow-up to strengthen evidence and guide primary care policies and professional training.
- Laís Canêdo Martins
- Adguimar Vitória Costa Silva
- Luiza Vitória Vicente Da Silva
- Maria Victória de Oliveira Lima
- Tamires Rosa Veríssimo
- Mayla Garcia Nunes
- Vitória Batista Clemente
- Flávia Almeida Ribeiro Scalioni
- Gisele Maria Campos Fabri