title: Relationship between family characteristics and children's regular toothbrushing with fluoride toothpaste.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the association between toothbrushing habits of 8-9 year-olds and maternal behaviours and attitudes towards oral health in a sample of Japanese population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional data on mothers' behaviours and attitudes towards oral health and children's toothbrushing habits were collected from 378 mother-child pairs by self-administered questionnaires. Logistic regression examined the association of children's daily brushing with fluoride toothpaste with family characteristics, mother's behaviour (toothbrushing frequency, use of interdental aids and supervision of children's toothbrushing), and mother's attitudes towards oral health (priority for toothbrushing and dental fear).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Children's favourable brushing habits were positively associated with child's gender (female) (OR 1.29; 95%CI:1.09,1.53), child's order of birth (first) (OR 1.53; 95%CI:1.05,2.23), maternal brushing habits (OR 2.42; 95%CI:1.73,3.40), and maternal dental fear (OR 1.45; 95%CI:1.10,1.90). None of the other examined factors were significantly associated with child toothbrushing behaviour.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Matemal oral hygiene practice and attitude towards dentists appear to be important predictors of children's toothbrushing habits in this Japanese community sample.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kino
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bernabé
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sabbah
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Aukett
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D010349:Patient Compliance; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014099:Toothbrushing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014100:Toothpastes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D014100:Toothpastes