From Parents to Child: Intergenerational Transmission of Oral Health Habits.

Objectives: This longitudinal study aimed to investigate the influence of parental oral health habits on the oral healthcare they provide to their children. Additionally, it aimed to explore: i) how demographic factors such as educational level, age, migration background, employment status, and household composition may influence the oral healthcare provided to their children and the intergenerational transmission of these habits; ii) to determine the association between the oral health habits of parents with the frequency of their children’s nocturnal feedings and sugar intake.
Methods: Self-administered questionnaires were collected by the Youth Health Care in Amsterdam and completed by both parents at 34 weeks of pregnancy, 1, 6, 11, 14, 24, and 36 months post-partum. The survey enquired about parental migration background, oral health habits (toothbrushing, fluoride use, dental visits, and smoking habits), and the oral healthcare they provided to their children (frequency of nocturnal feeding, toothbrushing, dental visits, and first solid food intake). Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and univariate/multivariate logistic regressions.
Results: Of the mother-father dyads (N=155), 99.3% were reported to be non-smokers. 41.6% of the mothers (N=154)adhered to the national toothbrushing guidelines for themselves. 50.4% of the fathers reported never brushing their teeth. No statistically significant association was found between mothers who adhered to the guidelines themselves and mothers who adhered to the guidelines for their children (Χ²=0.140 , p=0.709 ). 12,3% of the children still had night-time feedings at 24 months post-partum and the frequency of nocturnal feedings decreased to 1.5% at 36 months.
Conclusions: Maternal adherence to the national toothbrushing guidelines for themselves did not significantly influence the oral healthcare they provided to their offspring.