The relationship between oral habits in children and mothers' personality characteristics

Aim: One of the important subjects in dentistry is oral habits which is a matter of concern for parents. Some scientists believe that the reason for starting and continuing oral habits can be due to psychological factors. Because the children's temper is related to the parents, it is possible that parents' personality characteristics would be related to creation of habits. The aim of this study was the evaluation of the role of mothers' personality characteristics on children's nutritive and non nutritive sucking habits.Material and methods: This cross-sectional study was done on seven year old girl students between ۲۰۰۶ and ۲۰۰۷ in Mashhad primary schools. A questionnaire was used including social history, questions about baby's oral habits and world standard psychological test (Eysenck). Overall ۴۳۶ students were recruited. The data were analyzed through descriptive and Chi-square tests.Results: There was a significant relationship between the history of pacifier sucking habit and mother's personality characteristics, Children with anxious and depressed mothers used pacifier more than mothers with normal personality, however thumb sucking and other oral habits (nail chewing pencil chewing ... ) were not related to mother's personality characteristics.Conclusion: Only the pacifier sucking habit was related to mother's personality characteristics.

Keywords:

oral habit , personality characteristics , Eysenck