Objective: To evaluate the association between adults’ dental fear and their perception of the parental bonding of their own parents.
Methods: The study used longitudinal pilot data for the FinnBrain Cohort study. Of 254 families expecting a baby, 203 (80%) agreed to participate and 153 returned questionnaires at a data collection point (pregnancy weeks H32–34). Of these, 125 mothers and 81 fathers had filled out the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale –questionnaire (MDAS). Parental bonding was measured by Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI), which is completed separately for both parents. PBI care and control scores and MDAS total and two subscale (anticipatory and treatment related) scores were calculated. Based on the care and control scores, parental bonding was classified into four quadrants (affectionate constraint, affectionless control, optimal parenting, neglectful parenting). Relationships between MDAS and PBI total and subscale scores were evaluated with Spearman correlation coefficients and Kruskal-Wallis tests.
Results: Dental fear did not correlate with parenting style among mothers or fathers. No differences in MDAS scores according to PBI/parenting quadrants were observed. Mothers recalled their own parents’ parenting style mostly optimal, but fathers perceived their own fathers to some extend neglectful.
Conclusion: None of the parenting styles seemed to provoke dental fear. The results of this study are consistent with previous research suggesting that the association between parental rearing style and dental fear is not straight forward. Rearing style could be a mediating factor behind the dental fear but further studies with larger populations are needed.