MIAMI, Apr 6, 2009 (UPI via COMTEX) -- The more stressed parents are, the more
likely their children are to have tooth decay, researchers at Ohio State
University have found.
Dr. Dennis A. Burns and colleagues examined the stress levels of parents whose
young children either had no cavities or so many cavities that the children had
receive anesthesia before undergoing dental treatment.
The researchers also looked at the parents' education levels and income, and
noted if they were single parents. They also measured the parents' stress levels
again after the children had received dental treatment.
The researchers found that low income, having little education and being a
single parent led to increases in parental stress.
The study found the more stressed parents are, the more likely their children
were to have decay, but that having one's child's dental decay treated could
decrease the parental stress.
The investigators presented their findings at the 87th General Session of the
International Association for Dental Research in Miami.
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