title: Association between early childhood caries and maternal caries status: A cross-section study in São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to evaluate the association between early childhood caries (ECC) and maternal caries status, and the maternal perception of ECC risk factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was carried out with 77 mother-child pairs, the children ranging from 12 to 36 months of age and their mothers, who were seeking dental care at a health center in São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil. Data collection was conducted using a specific questionnaire for mothers. Oral clinical examination of the mother-child binomial to assess caries incidence, gingival bleeding (GB) and visible plaque was done. Home visits were performed in 10% of the sample in order to observe the environmental conditions, dietary habits and dental hygiene practices.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The findings showed that the caries prevalence in children was 22.5 times higher in the mother who had decayed tooth (prevalence ratio [PR] = 22.5, confidence interval [CI] 95% = 3.2-156.6, P < 0.001). GB also was observed in 14 mothers and children, the PR in pair was 12.2 (CI95% = 1.6-88.9, P < 0.001). The variables are related for the mother-child binomial in regression linear analysis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The maternal caries status was associated with ECC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dentistry, Federal University of Maranhão, São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil.
authors.forename: Pedrita Mara do Espírito Santo
authors.initials: PMDES
authors.lastname: de Souza
authors.affiliation: Department of Dentistry, Federal University of Maranhão, São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil.
authors.forename: Mariana Almeida Mello
authors.initials: MAM
authors.lastname: Proença
authors.affiliation: Department of Dentistry, Federal University of Maranhão, São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil.
authors.forename: Mayra Moura
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Franco
authors.affiliation: Department of Morphology, University of Maranhão, São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil.
authors.forename: Vandilson Pinheiro
authors.initials: VP
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.affiliation: Department of Dentistry, Federal University of Maranhão, São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil.
authors.forename: José Ferreira
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.affiliation: Department of Dentistry, Federal University of Maranhão, São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil.
authors.forename: Elizabeth Lima
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Costa
keywords: Dental caries; maternal behavior; preventive dentistry; risk factors