Objective: To assess the relationship between children dental caries and their mothers’ health-related behaviours
Method: Data was from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a nationally representative survey of civilian non-institutionalised Americans, 1988-1994 (NHANES-III). Information pertaining to mother´s health-related behaviours was linked to children data using the natality file. First Child aged 2-6 years was included in the analysis. A sample of 1018 mother/child pair was used in the analysis. Binary logistic regressions were performed, using children’s caries as dependent variable adjusting for child’s age, sex, ethnicity and family income. Maternal related behaviours were smoking habit, consumption of sugary food and drinks, fruit and vegetable, fattening food, alcohol, physical activities, oral hygiene indicated by extent of calculus and dental visits.
Result: Children whose mothers engaged in health-risk behaviours showed higher probabilities of experiencing caries. For smoking mothers, children were 1.5 (95%CI: 1.12-2.01) times more likely to have at least one caries lesion. Mothers’ dental visits were significant with children 1.37 (95%CI: 1.02-1.86) times more likely. Maternal Oral hygiene calculated by the extent of calculus was significantly associated with higher probabilities of caries among children (OR:2.5, 95%CI 1.54-4.33). Furthermore, greater consumption of fattening food and lower consumption of fruits and vegetables by mothers were also significantly associated with children caries. Maternal consumption of sugars, alcohol and physical activity were not significantly associated with children caries. All analyses were adjusted for child’s age, ethnicity and family income.
Conclusion: Study demonstrated that a number of maternal general and oral health-related behaviour are associated with children caries experience.