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Journals / Selcuk Dental Journal / 2025 / Volume: 12 Issue: 3

Parental Influence on Oral Health in School-Age Children: Behavioral Reflections and Impact on Daily Functioning

Zehra Güner(GAZIANTEP UNIVERSITY, FACULTY OF DENTISTRY)0000-0002-5309-6371
Semsettin Yildiz(GAZIANTEP UNIVERSITY, FACULTY OF DENTISTRY)0000-0001-6621-3365
Zübeyde Uçar Gündoğar(GAZIANTEP UNIVERSITY, FACULTY OF DENTISTRY)0000-0002-3402-5332
Derya Sarıoğlu(GAZIANTEP UNIVERSITY, FACULTY OF DENTISTRY)0009-0004-1905-3230
Pages
—
Publication Date
2025-12-29
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

Therefore, awareness studies that will increase the awareness levels of both children and parents and the dissemination of family-focused preventive health programs are of great importance.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

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Objective & Hypothesis:Background: Oral and dental status is an important health indicator that affects an individual’s physiological, psychological, and social quality of life.
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Key Findings & Data:Methods: We conducted the study with 230 children aged 7–15 years and their parents (n = 230) who presented at the Department of Pedodontics in the Faculty of Dentistry, Fırat University, in Elazığ, Türkiye, between December 2023 and March 2024.
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Conclusion & Impact:Therefore, awareness studies that will increase the awareness levels of both children and parents and the dissemination of family-focused preventive health programs are of great importance.
🔬Design:Survey & Empirical Study
📍Scope:2023 Verileri
⚙️Variables:parental influence · oral hygiene · fluoride awareness

Abstract

Background: Oral and dental status is an important health indicator that affects an individual’s physiological, psychological, and social quality of life. In this context, childhood is a critical period in which children acquire oral hygiene habits and in which parents play a key role. The aim of this study is to evaluate comparatively the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of school-age children and their parents regarding oral and dental health, and to reveal parental influence on children’s oral health. Methods: We conducted the study with 230 children aged 7–15 years and their parents (n = 230) who presented at the Department of Pedodontics in the Faculty of Dentistry, Fırat University, in Elazığ, Türkiye, between December 2023 and March 2024. We administered a structured questionnaire to the participants consisting of 12 questions that covered oral hygiene habits and sociodemographic characteristics. We analyzed the data with IBM SPSS Statistics version 26.0 software (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA) and used chi-square and McNemar’s tests in intergroup comparisons (p < 0.05). Results: We observed similarities between children and parents regarding toothbrushing time, brushing technique, use of fluoride toothpaste, and opinions on fluoride’s harmfulness. We determined that both groups tend to go to the dentist only in case of complaints. In contrast, we found significant differences in favor of parents in terms of frequency and duration of toothbrushing, junk food consumption, and use of oral care products (p < 0.05). Conclusions: This study shows that parents play an essential role in influencing children’s oral and dental health behaviors. However, parental similarity alone is not sufficient for the development of correct and sustainable oral hygiene habits. Therefore, awareness studies that will increase the awareness levels of both children and parents and the dissemination of family-focused preventive health programs are of great importance.

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Cite This Article

Güner, Z., Yildiz, S., Gündoğar, Z. U., Sarıoğlu, D. (2025). Parental Influence on Oral Health in School-Age Children: Behavioral Reflections and Impact on Daily Functioning. Selcuk Dental Journal, Volume: 12 Issue: 3. https://doi.org/10.15311/selcukdentj.1741794

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