Parenting Style, Locus of Control, and Oral Hygiene in Adolescents

Objective. The aim of the study was to test if variations in oral hygiene levels in adolescents were associated with locus of control and parenting styles after controlling for demographic factors. Material and Methods. The study sample comprised 237 adolescents aged 12-13 years. The structured questionnaire included demographic characteristics and items about parenting style and locus of control. The Individual Quantitative Plaque % Index (IQPI) and tooth brushing frequency were used as clinical outcome measures. Results. In the bivariate analyses, socioeconomic status (P=0.012), number of children in the family (P=0.003), and frequency of toothbrushing (P=0.001) were related to dental plaque levels. Gender (P<0.001), socioeconomic status (P=0.022), and external locus of control (Spearman rho, -0.144, P=0.027) were statistically significantly associated with tooth brushing frequency. In the multivariate analyses, only socioeconomic status and toothbrushing frequency were statistically significantly related to the IQPI. When toothbrushing frequency as the second outcome variable was used, the IQPI and gender were statistically significant. The association with socioeconomic status did not reach statistical significance (P=0.07). Conclusions. Only socioeconomic status and toothbrushing frequency explained variation in dental plaque levels among adolescents. The expected relationship among parenting styles, locus of control, and oral hygiene levels was not confirmed.