title: Influence of maternal dental anxiety on oral health-related quality of life of preschool children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to determine the influence of maternal dental anxiety on perceptions about oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) of preschool children.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was conducted with 608 mother-child dyads during the Children's National Immunization Campaign in Pelotas, Brazil. Mothers answered a questionnaire on dental anxiety (DAS), socioeconomic status, use of dental services, and perception of their child's OHRQoL (ECOHIS). The ECOHIS includes a child impact section (symptoms, function, psychological, self-image/social interaction domains) and a family impact section (parent distress and family function domains). Clinical examination of the children was performed to assess dental caries, dental trauma, and occlusal traits occurrence. The association assessment used Poisson regression models (RR; 95%CI, P ≤ 0.05).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Anxious mothers presented higher scores in the parent distress domain. Higher impacts on OHRQoL were observed in children presenting untreated dental caries; children whose mothers had not completed primary education; and those who had non-regular use of dental services.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mean ECOHIS total score was not influenced by maternal dental anxiety. However, anxiety had a negative effect on the perception of the impact of the child's oral health problems in the family, affecting the parent distress domain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Social and Preventive Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Federal University of Pelotas, Rua Gonçalves Chaves, 457 Centro, Pelotas, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marília Leão
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Goettems
authors.forename: Thiago Machado
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Ardenghi
authors.forename: Ana Regina
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Romano
authors.forename: Flávio Fernando
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Demarco
authors.forename: Dione Dias
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Torriani
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D016854:Dental Anxiety; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009909:Oral Health; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012923:Social Class; D055815:Young Adult