Mother’s Experience of Conflict Within Their Family Social Network when Advocating for Children’s oral Health

Objectives Examine whether mothers perceived that child oral health was a source of conflict in family relationships. Methods This cross-sectional qualitative study consisted of 126 semi-structured interviews with mothers of 3–5 year-old children from West Virginia and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Interviews consisted of open-ended questions on the mother’s social relationships that affected child dental visits, oral hygiene, and diet. The data were analyzed using template analysis. Results Over 85% (n = 111/126) of mothers reported interpersonal conflict in their familial relationships related to child oral health. Most (78%) mothers reported conflict with their partners and 58% of mothers reported conflict with the child’s grandparents. Conflicts primarily centered around keeping a consistent oral hygiene routine for the child and the promotion of a low-cariogenic diet. Conclusions for Practice Mothers perceived child oral health promotion as a source of conflict in the family. This study suggests that identifying effective strategies to reduce conflict with caretakers are indicated. Oral health professionals can take an active role not only in communicating with the mother, but also with other caretaking adults in the family to promote oral health practices that benefit all children.