The Influence of Parenting Styles on Eating Behavior and Caries in Their Children: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

The type of parenting style influences the way children cope with problems and can create states of anxiety that can even alter their eating habits, which can cause problems in their oral health. The present study aimed to find out which parenting style is more favorable for the oral health of their children. In this cross-sectional study, 186 children (aged 8–15 years) were examined to assess the mean Decayed/Missing/Filled teeth (DMFT + dmft) index, and they were asked to complete the State–Trait Anxiety Inventory, the Parenting Style Scale, and questions about their oral hygiene habits. On the other hand, their parents answered the Parental Feeding Style Questionnaire and the Children’s Eating Behavior Questionnaire. Results showed that a worse oral health status was associated with a higher state of anxiety, more overeating, more emotional eating, and higher psychological control. A higher rate of missing teeth was associated with increased undereating and overeating. Emotional eating was positively related to psychological control. State of anxiety, overeating, and parental psychological control predicted 24.6% of DMFT + dmft. In addition, emotional eating had a moderating effect in DMFT + dfmt only in those with low levels of affection and communication. In conclusion, high psychological control and low levels of parental affection and communication will increase the state of anxiety in children, influencing their caries rate.

Nurturing Sustainable Development: The Interplay of Parenting Styles and SDGs in Children’s Development

“…Theoretical frameworks furnish a robust foundation for comprehending the distinguishing features of each parenting style and their anticipated ramifications on child development. The authors of [ 51 ] delineate authoritarian parenting by its high control and low warmth, permissive parenting by low control and high warmth, and democratic parenting by a synthesis of high levels of both control and warmth. By aligning with these theoretical tenets, researchers can operationalize and evaluate the parenting styles envisaged to influence children’s cognitive and social–affective behaviors effectively.…”

Healthy Food, Healthy Teeth: A Formative Study to Assess Knowledge of Foods for Oral Health in Children and Adults

“…Studies of oral health knowledge in children have evaluated beliefs regarding foods in the context of oral health interventions occurring in school settings [ 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 ] and associations between dental pain and intake of particular foods [ 35 ]. The study of oral health nutrition knowledge in parents has typically evaluated the knowledge of parents and caregivers in relation to the caries status of their children [ 36 , 37 , 38 ].…”