Does a Parent's Wellbeing Affect a Child's Toothbrushing?
It may, a little. In a large Japanese study, two-year-olds whose mothers had ongoing postpartum depression, or had difficulty bonding with their baby in the first year, were slightly more likely to have their teeth brushed less than twice a day. The effect was small, and a study like this can show a link but not cause. The practical lesson is that parents who are struggling deserve support, and a simple brushing routine is one thing that support can protect.
What did the researchers study?
A team led by Dr. Shinobu Tsuchiya at Tohoku University Hospital used data from the Japan Environment and Children's Study, a national study that followed families from pregnancy. They published two analyses in 2021.
Postpartum depression. Among 84,533 mother-child pairs, mothers were screened for depression one month and six months after birth. The researchers then looked at how often the children's teeth were brushed at age two.
Bonding. Among 83,954 pairs, mothers completed a questionnaire about their feelings toward their baby at one year. Again, the outcome was toothbrushing frequency at age two.
What did they find?
Children of mothers who had depression at both one and six months were slightly more likely to be brushed less often. That association weakened once the researchers accounted for whether the child brushed alone or with a parent's help.
Children of mothers with bonding difficulties had about 12 percent higher odds of being brushed only once a day rather than more often.
More than half of the two-year-olds in the study were brushed once a day, so less frequent brushing was common across all families.
What can't this study tell us?
Toothbrushing was reported by parents, not observed. The studies didn't measure cavities, so they don't show that the children had more decay. They show an association in Japanese families, and other factors the researchers couldn't measure may play a part. None of this means a parent who is struggling has failed their child.
What does this mean for families?
Postpartum depression is common and treatable. If you're a new parent who feels low, anxious or disconnected from your baby, tell your doctor or your baby's pediatrician. Getting help is good for you and for your child.
For the teeth, a simple routine helps even on hard days:
Brush twice a day from the first tooth, with a smear of fluoride toothpaste the size of a grain of rice until age three.
Tie brushing to things that already happen every day, such as bath time and breakfast.
Share the job. Any caregiver can brush a toddler's teeth.
Stay with your child while they brush until they can do it well on their own.
Our parent's guide to early childhood dental problems covers the first dental visit, bottles and fluoride. For more on what research says about early-life stress and teeth, read about growth marks in baby teeth.
Sources
Tsuchiya S, Tsuchiya M, Momma H, et al. Influence of maternal postpartum depression on children's toothbrushing frequency. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 2022;50(4):300-310. doi:10.1111/cdoe.12672. Retrieved via PubMed (PMID 34117651).
Tsuchiya S, Tsuchiya M, Momma H, et al. Prospective association between maternal bonding disorders and child toothbrushing frequency: a cross-sectional study of the Japan Environment and Children's Study. Int J Paediatr Dent. 2022;32(1):56-65. doi:10.1111/ipd.12791. Retrieved via PubMed (PMID 33764606).
Tohoku University. Good toothbrushing habits in children linked to mother's wellbeing. Press release, July 2021.
About the author. CJ Henley, DMD, is a general dentist in Jacksonville whose practice focuses on cosmetic and restorative dentistry, dental implants and dental care around head and neck cancer. Meet Dr. Henley.
CJ Henley, DMD, PA · 3675 Hendricks Avenue, Jacksonville, FL 32207 · 904-398-1549
Updated October 2026.