Oral Surgery · single question
A patient with Parkinson's disease would MOST likely have difficulty with which oral hygiene task?
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: B. Flossing correctly
- A. An electric toothbrush actually HELPS Parkinson's patients because it reduces the need for fine motor brushing technique.
- B. Correct. Flossing requires precise bilateral fine motor coordination, dexterity, and controlled wrist/finger movements. Parkinson's disease causes resting tremor, bradykinesia (slowness), and rigidity that severely impair fine motor tasks like flossing.
- C. Mouth rinsing requires moderate motor control; while impaired in Parkinson's, it is simpler than the fine motor coordination required for flossing.
- D. Checking teeth in a mirror is a visual task with minimal fine motor demand.