Researchers at the University of Alberta studied 302 immigrant parents of young children to understand why some families struggle more with dental care than others. The study focused on mothers aged 2–12 years old, most of whom had lived in Canada for about a decade and had higher education. Nearly two-thirds of the children were born in the country where the study took place.
The key question: does a parent's mental health — specifically anxiety and depression — influence whether children brush their teeth regularly and visit the dentist?
Maternal anxiety and depression directly reduce toothbrushing habits
The study found a clear link between mothers' mental health and children's oral care. When mothers reported higher anxiety, their children were 14% less likely to brush their teeth regularly. When depression was present, the odds dropped even further — by 21%. These aren't small changes; they represent meaningful shifts in daily routines that protect children's teeth.
Importantly, this wasn't about mothers not caring. Instead, anxiety and depression may reduce a parent's energy, motivation, or capacity to maintain consistent routines — something many immigrant families juggle alongside work, language barriers, and cultural adjustment.
Social media addiction is a symptom, not the cause
Researchers also looked at whether social media addiction might explain this connection. They found that anxious and depressed mothers did spend more time on social media — each unit increase in anxiety and depression corresponded to roughly a 50% increase in social media addiction scores. However, social media use itself didn't explain why children brushed their teeth less. The real issue was the underlying mental health struggle, not the screen time.
A practical step for dental clinics
- Dental clinics should screen immigrant parents for anxiety and depression, then connect families to mental health support alongside oral health care.