Absence of Association between Child Temperament and Early Childhood Caries: A Cross-Sectional Study

Rodrigo Mariño, Paulina Hofer-Durán, Javiera Nuñez-Contreras, Yanela Aravena-Rivas and Carlos Zaror ()
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Rodrigo Mariño: Melbourne Dental School, University of Melbourne, Melbourne 3010, Australia
Paulina Hofer-Durán: Dental School, Faculty of Dentistry, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco 4781176, Chile
Javiera Nuñez-Contreras: Programa de Magister en Odontología, Facultad de Odontología, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco 4811230, Chile
Yanela Aravena-Rivas: Center for Research in Epidemiology, Economics and Oral Public Health (CIEESPO), Faculty of Dentistry, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco 4811230, Chile
Carlos Zaror: Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco 4781176, Chile

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 4, 1-9

Abstract: Early childhood caries (ECC) is a worldwide public health problem. The biological and behavioural determinants that are directly involved in ECC have been well documented; however, evidence on the effects of some psychosocial factors remains conflicting. This study aimed to assess the association between child temperament and ECC in Chilean preschoolers. Prior approval of the protocol was obtained from the ethics committee of Universidad de La Frontera (Folio N° 020_17), and all of those involved in the study provided signed informed consent forms. The cross-sectional study was conducted with 172 children aged 3 to 5 years attending preschools in Temuco, Chile. Each child’s temperament was assessed based on parents’ responses to the Early Childhood Behaviour Questionnaire. The outcomes assessed were caries prevalence and caries experience (dmft scores). The covariates included were socioeconomic position, cariogenic diet, prolonged breastfeeding, presence of dental plaque and hypoplasia. Logistic regression models were used to predict caries prevalence and negative binomial regression for caries experience. The prevalence of ECC was 29.1%, and the most frequent child temperament was ‘effortful control’. Regression model analyses, adjusting for covariates, showed no evidence of an association between any domain of children’s temperament (surgency, negative affect and effortful control) with the prevalence of caries or caries experience. This cross-sectional study found no association between childhood temperament and ECC in preschool children for this population. However, due to the specificity of this population, the association cannot be entirely ruled out. Further studies are needed to help understand the association between temperament and oral health, including the influences of family environment factors and culture.

Keywords: early childhood caries; child temperament; Chile (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:4:p:3251-:d:1066529

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