{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,10]],"date-time":"2026-10-10T03:53:22Z","timestamp":1791604402569,"version":"4.3.4"},"reference-count":26,"publisher":"Wiley","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,9]],"date-time":"2026-10-09T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1791504000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/termsAndConditions#vor"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,9]],"date-time":"2026-10-09T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1791504000000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/doi.wiley.com\/10.1002\/tdm_license_1.1"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["onlinelibrary.wiley.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["J Public Health Dent"],"abstract":"<jats:title>ABSTRACT<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Dietary practices, oral hygiene, and parental behavior have an impact on early childhood caries (ECC), a common chronic illness in preschoolers. Children's oral health outcomes are significantly influenced by the nutrition literacy and oral health knowledge of their parents.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Aim and Objectives<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>To assess parental nutrition literacy, including knowledge, attitudes, and practices, and its association with early childhood caries (ECC) among children aged 3\u20136\u2009years.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      Three hundred fifty parent\u2013child pairs were included in a cross\u2010sectional study. A standardized questionnaire was used to gather information on sociodemographic, nutritional, and oral health practices, attitudes, and knowledge. Chi\u2010squared tests were used to examine group differences;\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u2009&lt;\u20090.05 was considered statistically significant.\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      Compared with parents of children with ECC, parents of caries\u2010free children showed significantly greater knowledge, preventive attitudes, and protective behaviors. The control group had significantly better maternal nutrition awareness (\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u2009=\u20090.001), accurate comprehension of the sugar caries link (\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u2009&lt;\u20090.001), breastfeeding practices (\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u2009&lt;\u20090.001), and twice daily brushing encouragement (\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u2009&lt;\u20090.001). The ECC group continued to exhibit poor feeding practices, nocturnal sugar exposure, delayed initiation of oral hygiene, and irregular fluoride use, despite widespread awareness of the risks associated with sugar. Cultural norms, maternal education, and sociodemographic characteristics all influenced parental behavior\n                      <jats:italic>.<\/jats:italic>\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Oral hygiene habits and parental nutrition literacy are significant, modifiable predictors of ECC. To lower the prevalence of ECC and encourage the best possible oral health in preschoolers, targeted, culturally sensitive interventions, early behavioral guidance, and organized parental involvement are crucial.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1111\/jphd.70081","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,10]],"date-time":"2026-10-10T03:41:58Z","timestamp":1791603718000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Parental Nutrition Literacy and Its Association With Early Childhood Caries Among Children Aged 3\u20136\u2009Years: A Cross\u2010Sectional Study"],"prefix":"10.1111","author":[{"given":"Devadharani","family":"Kumaresan","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Meenakshi Ammal Dental College and Hospital, Meenakshi Academy of Higher Education and Research  Chennai India"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7672-0587","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Protyusha","family":"Guha Biswas","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Oral &amp; Maxillofacial Pathology and Oral Microbiology Meenakshi Ammal Dental College and Hospital, Meenakshi Academy of Higher Education and Research  Chennai India"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2722-3549","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jeyaseelan","family":"Ramasamy","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Oral &amp; Maxillofacial Pathology and Oral Microbiology Meenakshi Ammal Dental College and Hospital, Meenakshi Academy of Higher Education and Research  Chennai India"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sarah Jane","family":"Monica","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Food Science M.O.P. Vaishnav College for Women (Autonomous)  Chennai India"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6909-7926","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Karunanidhi","family":"Kannappan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Public Health Dentistry Meenakshi Ammal Dental College and Hospital, Meenakshi Academy of Higher Education and Research  Chennai India"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0949-8768","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Kaushik","family":"Prakash","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopaedics Meenakshi Ammal Dental College and Hospital, Meenakshi Academy of Higher Education and Research  Chennai India"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"311","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,9]]},"reference":[{"issue":"4","key":"e_1_2_8_2_1","first-page":"380","article-title":"Global, Regional, and National Prevalence, Incidence, and Disability\u2010Adjusted Life Years for Oral Conditions: A Systematic Analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015","volume":"96","author":"Kassebaum N. J.","year":"2017","journal-title":"Journal of Dental Research"},{"issue":"10","key":"e_1_2_8_3_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"625","DOI":"10.1038\/sj.bdj.4814259","article-title":"Dental Caries Affects Body Weight, Growth and Quality of Life in Pre\u2010School Children","volume":"201","author":"Sheiham A.","year":"2006","journal-title":"British Dental Journal"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_4_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1055\/s\u20100041\u20101739446"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_5_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/pediatric17020043"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_6_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.7759\/cureus.95718"},{"issue":"1","key":"e_1_2_8_7_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"8","DOI":"10.1177\/0022034513508954","article-title":"Effect on Caries of Restricting Sugars Intake: Systematic Review to Inform WHO Guidelines","volume":"93","author":"Moynihan P.","year":"2014","journal-title":"Journal of Dental Research"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_8_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph21091190"},{"issue":"4","key":"e_1_2_8_9_1","first-page":"509","article-title":"Effect of Parental Education and Socioeconomic Status on Dental Caries Among Children: A Systematic Review","volume":"8","author":"Kumar S.","year":"2016","journal-title":"Journal of International Oral Health"},{"issue":"11","key":"e_1_2_8_10_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"873","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jdent.2012.07.013","article-title":"Parental Influence and the Development of Dental Caries in Children Aged 0\u20136\u2009Years: A Systematic Review","volume":"40","author":"Hooley M.","year":"2012","journal-title":"Journal of Dentistry"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_11_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2220","DOI":"10.18203\/2394-6040.ijcmph20251379","article-title":"Association Between Knowledge, Attitude, Practice and Early Childhood Caries Among Parent Child Dyad in Bangalore City: A Cross Sectional Study","volume":"12","author":"Lokesh Y.","year":"2025","journal-title":"International Journal of Community Medicine and Public Health"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_12_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/s12903\u2010025\u201007545\u20103"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_13_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.sdentj.2023.12.001"},{"issue":"3","key":"e_1_2_8_14_1","first-page":"11","article-title":"Association of Early Childhood Caries and Nutritional Status: A Scoping Review","volume":"47","author":"Dwen tjin L.","year":"2023","journal-title":"Journal of Clinical Pediatric Dentistry"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_15_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/s12887\u2010024\u201004984\u20109"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_16_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.31579\/2834\u20105029\/022"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_17_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/s12903\u2010023\u201003516\u20108"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_18_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3290\/j.ohpd.a43357"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_19_1","first-page":"86","article-title":"Developing Explanatory Models of Health Inequalities in Childhood Dental Caries","volume":"21","author":"Pine C. M.","year":"2004","journal-title":"Community Dental Health"},{"issue":"10194","key":"e_1_2_8_20_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"249","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(19)31146-8","article-title":"Oral Diseases: A Global Public Health Challenge","volume":"394","author":"Peres M. A.","year":"2019","journal-title":"Lancet"},{"issue":"467","key":"e_1_2_8_21_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"62","DOI":"10.1111\/apa.13118","article-title":"Breastfeeding and the Risk of Dental Caries: A Systematic Review and Meta\u2010Analysis","volume":"104","author":"Tham R.","year":"2015","journal-title":"Acta Paediatrica"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_22_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.19080\/ADOH.2019.11.555806"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_23_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3389\/froh.2026.1706385"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_24_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph18158159"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_25_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1016\/j.pmedr.2023.102396","article-title":"Nutrition Knowledge, Attitudes, and Dietary Practices Among Parents of Children and Adolescents in Weifang, China: A Cross\u2010Sectional Study","volume":"35","author":"Ma L.","year":"2023","journal-title":"Preventive Medicine Reports"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_26_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2834","DOI":"10.18203\/2394-6040.ijcmph20241846","article-title":"Assessment of Awareness Among Parents About Dietary Habits and Its Relation to Oral Health in Children: A Cross Sectional Study","volume":"11","author":"Hugar S. S.","year":"2024","journal-title":"International Journal of Community Medicine and Public Health"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_27_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1600\u20100528.1996.tb00850.x"}],"container-title":["Journal of Public Health Dentistry"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1111\/jphd.70081","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/full-xml\/10.1111\/jphd.70081","content-type":"application\/xml","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1111\/jphd.70081","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,10]],"date-time":"2026-10-10T03:42:01Z","timestamp":1791603721000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/10.1111\/jphd.70081"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,9]]},"references-count":26,"alternative-id":["10.1111\/jphd.70081"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1111\/jphd.70081","archive":["Portico"],"relation":{},"ISSN":["0022-4006","1752-7325"],"issn-type":[{"value":"0022-4006","type":"print"},{"value":"1752-7325","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,9]]},"assertion":[{"value":"2026-06-15","order":0,"name":"received","label":"Received","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}},{"value":"2026-09-17","order":2,"name":"accepted","label":"Accepted","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}},{"value":"2026-10-09","order":3,"name":"published","label":"Published","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}}],"article-number":"jphd.70081"}}