Correlation between maternal depression, anxiety, and stress and the children's oral health status and oral health-related quality of life: a cross-sectional study

PURPOSE: The present study investigated how maternal depression, anxiety, and stress could affect the oral health status and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) of preschool children. METHODS: A total sample of 262 mother-children pairs were recruited. Maternal mental health status was assessed using the validated Arabic version of the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21). The oral health status of preschool children aged 3 to 5 years was assessed using the dmft index and the debris index-simplified (DI-S). The children's OHRQoL was assessed using the validated Arabic version of the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (ECOHIS) questionnaire. RESULTS: The mean (SD) depression scale score was 17.9 (9.9), whilst the mean (SD) anxiety scale score was 20.4 (10.7), and the mean (SD) stress scale score was 29.2 (8.3). There were statistically significant positive correlations between maternal depression and stress scores and their child's dmft scores. Similarly, there were statistically significant positive correlations between both maternal depression and anxiety scores, and their child's DI-S scores. CONCLUSIONS: Children of depressed or stressed mothers were more likely to have higher dmft scores. Similarly, children whose mothers had high levels of depression and anxiety had poorer oral hygiene. Maternal depression, anxiety, and stress had an inverse correlation with the OHRQoL of their children. Therefore, interventions that promote mothers' mental health should be implemented at maternal and child health services, especially in those with severe and chronic forms of depression.