The association between postpartum depression and early childhood caries

Objective: To determine whether postnatal depression was associated with early childhood caries (ECC). Methods: This cross-sectional study was nested in a large cohort study named Born in Guangzhou Cohort Study (BIGCS). Mothers were invited to answer the Chinese version of Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS) at 11-14 months postpartum. Children's ECC experience was assessed at 24-37 months old. Socio-demographic factors were collected by a self-completed questionnaire. Chi-square test was used for bivariate analysis, and binary logistic regression was used for multivariable analysis. Results: Totally 337 mother/children pairs were included into this study. Among them, 33 children had caries experience, accounting for 9.8% of the participants. Mothers with EPDS scores between 7 and 10 were associated with worse ECC experience of their children (adjusted OR = 2.948, 95% CI = 1.209-7.190), whereas mothers with EPDS scores higher than 10 were not associated with ECC experience of their children. Mother's education and the number of children living together were also associated with children's ECC experience (adjusted OR = 1.822, 95% CI = 1.013-3.275, and adjusted OR = 1.528, 95% CI = 1.086-2.150, respectively). Other factors such as maternal age at the time of conception, family income, mother's work status, duration of breastfeeding, and children's gender did not show effect on children's ECC experience. Conclusion: Postnatal depression could be associated with children's ECC experience. In this study, mothers with slightly depression symptoms were more likely to have adverse effects on their children's ECC experience.