Parental stress as a predictor of early childhood caries among preschool children in India.

BACKGROUND.  The health and well-being of children are linked to their parents' physical, emotional and social health in addition to child-rearing practices. OBJECTIVES.  To investigate the association of parental stress as a risk indicator to early childhood caries (ECC) prevalence among preschool children of Moradabad, India. METHODS.  A case-control study was conducted among 800 preschool children [400 cases (caries active) and 400 controls (caries free)] aged 4-5 years along with their parents. Using the Parental Stress Index-Short Form (PSI/SF), we determined the stress of primary caregivers of young children. These children were clinically examined for dental caries using Dentition Status and Treatment needs. Student's t-test, Pearson's correlation and linear regression were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS.  An overall mean parenting stress index was found to be 193.48 ± 59.63. Significantly higher mean stress scores were obtained among cases than among controls. Parental stress was significantly correlated with dmft scores and it was found to be one of the best predictors of ECC. CONCLUSION.  This study provides data to suggest that parental stress has a pervasive impact on the children's oral health. The practitioners should be aware of this possible relationship and be prepared to provide appropriate intervention.