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Family characteristics influence periodontal diseases in children

According to a recent systematic review, the socio-economic status of parents influences the prevalence of periodontal diseases in their children. (Photograph: MilanMarkovic78/Shutterstock)

Tue. 2. July 2019

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BRISBANE, Australia: Numerous studies have been published on the association between dental caries and various family contextual factors. However, similar research with regard to periodontal disease is limited. Thus, the aim of a recent systematic review was to assess the influence of family characteristics on periodontal diseases in children.

For the review of the relevant literature, 32 studies from a number of countries were included. Factors considered varied in the different studies but included family income, parents’ socio-economic status, educational status and occupation, and parental knowledge, practices and clinical status.

The review found that parents’ socio-economic status is significantly associated with periodontal diseases in children. Furthermore, children who are exposed to passive smoking and have parents with periodontal diseases are more likely to have periodontal diseases as well.

“Similar to dental caries, three commonly used indicators of parent’s socio-economic status namely income, education and occupation are significantly associated with periodontal diseases in children with better periodontal status being observed in children of parents with higher socio-economic status than those children whose parents are of lower socio-economic status,” said lead author Dr Santosh Kumar Tadakamadla, Senior Research Fellow at the School of Dentistry and Oral Health at Griffith University in Brisbane. “However, there was not much research done to explore the effect of parental psychosocial variables on periodontal diseases in children,” he continued.

“It is important to understand which parental characteristics influence periodontal disease in children to plan health promotion or prevention programmes for preventing periodontal diseases in children,” concluded Tadakamadla.

The study, titled “Effect of family characteristics on periodontal diseases in children and adolescents—A systematic review”, was published online in the International Journal of Dental Hygiene on 2 April 2019, ahead of inclusion in an issue.

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