Association between Parental Behavior and Child’s Oral Health among 3–5-year-old Children in Bengaluru City

AIM: Parental behavior is known to influence the well-being and disease outcomes in children. The environment which they create for the child can influence oral health behaviors and status. Hence, the present study aimed to determine the association of parental behavior with oral health status among 3–5-year-old children in Bengaluru city. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 300 children aged 3–5 years. The child’s demographic profile including socioeconomic status, dental history, oral habits, and oral hygiene practices was recorded. A 21-item prevalidated Parenting Style and Dimension Questionnaire (PSDQ) was used to assess parental behavior. WHO oral health pro forma (2013) was used to assess the oral health status of children. Chi-square test, Kruskal–Wallis, and Mann–Whitney U-test and binary logistic regression were applied. Statistical significance was considered at p < 0.05. RESULTS: The majority of parents were authoritative (64.0%). The mean age of children was 4.15 ± 0.74 years. Sixty-one percent of the children had caries experience. The permissive group had a higher mean dmft (4.25 ± 3.43) than the authoritarian (2.1 ± 1.67) and authoritative group (1.51 ± 1.94) (p < 0.001). There was a statistically significant difference between authoritative and permissive (p < 0.001) and authoritarian and permissive (p < 0.001) groups for dt and dmft. Parenting style was significantly associated with dental caries and trauma. CONCLUSION: There is an association between parental behavior and oral health status among 3–5-year-old children. Hence, a prior appraisal of parental behavior is suggested for better oral health outcomes in children. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: A prior appraisal of parenting style aids the clinician in the more efficient management of children through proper choice of behavior guidance technique. HOW TO CITE THIS ARTICLE: Sabbarwal B, Puranik MP, SR Uma. Association between Parental Behavior and Child’s Oral Health among 3–5-year-old Children in Bengaluru City. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2020;13(6):677–681.