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. 2010 Sep;89(9):954-8.
doi: 10.1177/0022034510372891. Epub 2010 May 26.

Mothers' caries increases odds of children's caries

J A Weintraub  1 , P Prakash, S G Shain, M Laccabue, S A Gansky
Affiliations

Mothers' caries increases odds of children's caries

J A Weintraub et al. J Dent Res. 2010 Sep.

Abstract

There are many determinants of children's dental caries. We hypothesized that a mother's untreated caries was associated with increased likelihood of her children's untreated caries, after controlling for other factors. This population-based study was conducted in a rural, primarily Hispanic, California community. Interview and dental examination data for mother-child (children < 18 yrs old) dyads were analyzed. In a Generalized Estimation Equation (GEE) logit model for mothers (n = 179) and children (n = 387), maternal untreated caries was a statistically significant correlate of child's untreated caries, odds ratio (OR) = 1.76 (95%CI: 1.10, 2.70), adjusted for demographic factors. This relationship did not change when behavioral and dental utilization factors were added to the model, OR = 1.85 (95% CI: 1.12, 3.07). Maternal untreated caries almost doubled the odds of children's untreated caries and significantly increased child's caries severity by about 3 surfaces. Caries prevention and dental utilization programs for mothers and their children should be increased.

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References

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