Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 28, 2026

Evaluating the Effects of Different Polishing Methods on Color Stability of Dental Restorations in Pediatric Dentistry
Published on: June 6, 2025
Parents' Dental Anxiety in Early Pregnancy and Toothbrushing Stability for Parent and Child Until Age 4-A
Arja Liinavuori1,2, Risto Virtanen1,2, Auli Suominen1
1Department of Community Dentistry, Institute of Dentistry, University of Turku, 20014 Turku, Finland.
Objectives:
This longitudinal study examined the association of parents' dental anxiety during early pregnancy with the stability of brushing their own and their children's teeth from the age of one to four years.
Methods:
The study used data from the FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, which included 816 mothers and 379 fathers who completed questionnaires on dental anxiety at gestational week 14 and on toothbrushing frequency for themselves and their child at the ages of 1, 2, and 4 years. Dental anxiety was assessed using the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale. The stability of toothbrushing was categorized as stable good (twice daily or more at all time points), fluctuating, good at 4 years (fluctuates over time points, but good at age 4 years), fluctuating, poor (less than twice daily) at 4 years (fluctuates over time points, but poor at age 4 years), stable poor (poor at all time points). Unordered multinomial logit models regarding the association of parents' dental anxiety on brushing their own and their children's teeth were adjusted for education, and education and parents' own toothbrushing, respectively.
Results:
Compared to the mothers who brushed their teeth twice daily throughout the study ("stable good"), those belonging to the "fluctuating, good at 4 years" group and those belonging to the "stable poor/poor at 4 years" group were more likely to have higher dental anxiety (OR = 1.07, 95% CI = 1.01-1.13 and OR = 1.04, 95% CI = 1.00-1.08, respectively). This association was not found among fathers. Parents' dental anxiety was not associated with the brushing of their children's teeth.
Conclusions:
Attending to the mother's dental anxiety during pregnancy could improve her toothbrushing.
Related Concept Videos
Development of the Oral Microbiota
Teeth
In the bud stage, the tooth germ (an aggregation of cells) starts to form in the developing jawbone. During the cap stage, the tooth germ differentiates into enamel organ, dental papilla, and dental sac, which will later develop into the tooth's enamel, dentin and...
Psychosexual Stages of Personality: Oral
Weaning, typically occurring around the age...
Tooth Anatomy
The Crown, Neck, and Root
The visible part of the tooth is referred to as the crown. It's covered by enamel, the hardest substance in the human body. The crown is uniquely shaped for each type of tooth, allowing for different functions such as cutting, tearing, or grinding food.
Relationship with Parents: Attachment
Attachment
