Employability of Mothers and its Impact on Body Mass Index and Dental Caries of their Preschool Children: A Cross-sectional Study.

Abstract

Aim and background: Employment can affect a mother's role, as working mothers may have less time to oversee oral hygiene and diet, potentially leading to higher rates of dental caries. In contrast, non-working mothers often have more time for health routines and nutritious meal preparation, resulting in better dental outcomes.

Materials and methods: This comparative cross-sectional study evaluates body mass index (BMI), dental caries, and sugar consumption among 3-5-year-old schoolchildren with working and non-working mothers in Mysuru city. The study included 75 children of working mothers and 75 children of non-working mothers. Data on oral hygiene and sugar consumption were collected using a validated questionnaire, and clinical examinations and BMI measurements were conducted by a trained dentist. Statistical tests like Student "t" test, ANOVA, and logistic regression analysis were used. A p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results: Results showed that children of working mothers had a slightly lower mean BMI (15.45 ± 2.15) than those of non-working mothers (15.65 ± 2.007). Children of working mothers had higher decayed, missing, and filled teeth/decayed, extracted, and filled teeth (dmft/deft) scores, indicating more dental caries. More children of working mothers were classified as normal weight or underweight (64 and 22.7%, respectively), while more children of non-working mothers were overweight (25.3%).

Conclusion: Both groups had similar sugary snack and dairy intake rates, but children of working mothers had higher caries rates and lower BMIs, illustrating the complex impact of maternal employment on children's oral health.

Clinical significance: This study explores how maternal employment impacts children's BMI and dental caries, highlighting connections between employment, income, nutrition, and health. Understanding these links helps develop public health interventions to improve children's health and family well-being.

How to cite this article: Paramasivam K, Manjunathappa TH, SampathKumar B, et al. Employability of Mothers and its Impact on Body Mass Index and Dental Caries of their Preschool Children: A Cross-sectional Study. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2025;18(1):91-99.