A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
Parents’ Dental Anxiety in Early Pregnancy and Toothbrushing Stability for Parent and Child Until Age 4—A Longitudinal Study; 
Authors: Liinavuori Arja; Virtanen Risto; Suominen Auli; Suokko Hanna; Pohjola Vesa; Tolvanen Mimmi; Kajita Mika; Karlsson Hasse; Karlsson Linnea; Lahti Satu
Publisher: MDPI
Publication year: 2026
Journal: Dentistry Journal
Volume: 14
First page : 271
eISSN: 2304-6767
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/dj14050271
Publication's open availability at the time of reporting: Open Access
Publication channel's open availability : Open Access publication channel
Web address : https://doi.org/10.3390/dj14050271
Self-archived copy’s web address: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/526614012
Self-archived copy's licence: CC BY
Self-archived copy's version: Publisher`s PDF
first_pagesettingsOrder Article Reprints Open AccessArticleParents’ Dental Anxiety in Early Pregnancy and Toothbrushing Stability for Parent and Child Until Age 4—A Longitudinal StudybyArja Liinavuori 1,2,*
, Risto Virtanen 1,2, Auli Suominen 1, Hanna Suokko 1, Vesa Pohjola 1,3, Mimmi Tolvanen 4, Mika Kajita 1, Hasse Karlsson 5,6,7, Linnea Karlsson 5,6,8,9 and Satu Lahti 1,5,81Department of Community Dentistry, Institute of Dentistry, University of Turku, 20014 Turku, Finland2Dental Healthcare, Social and Healthcare Services, Western Uusimaa Wellbeing Services County, 02033 Espoo, Finland3Research Unit of Population Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oulu, 90570 Oulu, Finland4Emergency Services Academy Finland, 70821 Kuopio, Finland5Department of Clinical Medicine, Turku Brain and Mind Center, FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, University of Turku, 20014 Turku, Finland6Unit of Child Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Turku University Hospital, University of Turku, 20520 Turku, Finland7Department of Psychiatry, Turku University Hospital, University of Turku, 20520 Turku, Finland8Centre for Population Health Research, Turku University Hospital, University of Turku, 20520 Turku, Finland9Unit of Public Health, Department of Clinical Medicine, Turku University Hospital, University of Turku, 20520 Turku, Finland*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.Dent. J. 2026, 14(5), 271; https://doi.org/10.3390/dj14050271Submission received: 10 March 2026 / Revised: 15 April 2026 / Accepted: 27 April 2026 / Published: 5 May 2026(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dental Anxiety: The Current Status and Developments) Download keyboard_arrow_down Browse Figure
Versions NotesAbstractObjectives: This longitudinal study examined the association of parents’ dental anxiety during early pregnancy with the stability of brushing their own and their children’s teeth from the age of one to four years. Methods: The study used data from the FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, which included 816 mothers and 379 fathers who completed questionnaires on dental anxiety at gestational week 14 and on toothbrushing frequency for themselves and their child at the ages of 1, 2, and 4 years. Dental anxiety was assessed using the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale. The stability of toothbrushing was categorized as stable good (twice daily or more at all time points), fluctuating, good at 4 years (fluctuates over time points, but good at age 4 years), fluctuating, poor (less than twice daily) at 4 years (fluctuates over time points, but poor at age 4 years), stable poor (poor at all time points). Unordered multinomial logit models regarding the association of parents’ dental anxiety on brushing their own and their children’s teeth were adjusted for education, and education and parents’ own toothbrushing, respectively. Results: Compared to the mothers who brushed their teeth twice daily throughout the study (“stable good”), those belonging to the “fluctuating, good at 4 years” group and those belonging to the “stable poor/poor at 4 years” group were more likely to have higher dental anxiety (OR = 1.07, 95% CI = 1.01–1.13 and OR = 1.04, 95% CI = 1.00–1.08, respectively). This association was not found among fathers. Parents’ dental anxiety was not associated with the brushing of their children’s teeth. Conclusions: Attending to the mother’s dental anxiety during pregnancy could improve her toothbrushing.
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