Parental Control and Children's Dental Health
Author Information
Author(s): Lenčová Erika, Pikhart Hynek, Broukal Zdeněk, Tsakos Georgios
Primary Institution: Institute of Dental Research – 1st Faculty of Medicine of the Charles University and General Teaching Hospital, Prague, the Czech Republic
Hypothesis
Higher parental locus of control is associated with better dental health in preschool children.
Conclusion
The study found that stronger parental locus of control is linked to a higher likelihood of children being free from untreated caries and having intact teeth.
Supporting Evidence
- Children in the strongest parental locus of control quintile were 2.81 times more likely to be free from untreated caries compared to the weakest quintile.
- Children in the strongest parental locus of control quintile were 2.32 times more likely to be free from caries experience compared to the weakest quintile.
- The study adjusted for various sociodemographic factors, confirming the association between parental locus of control and children's dental health.
Takeaway
If parents believe they can control their child's dental health, their kids are more likely to have healthy teeth.
Methodology
A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 285 preschool children and their parents, assessing dental health and parental attitudes using questionnaires.
Potential Biases
Parents with poor oral health may have been less likely to consent to the study, potentially skewing results.
Limitations
The study may not fully represent the entire Czech population due to a high proportion of children with university-educated mothers and potential bias in parental consent.
Participant Demographics
The sample included 159 boys (55.8%) and 126 girls (44.2%), with a mean age of 4.3 years.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Confidence Interval
1.23–6.42 for untreated caries; 1.02–5.25 for caries experience
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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