RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: Parents play an important role in improving children's oral plaque control. The aim of this study was therefore to compare the oral hygiene of children and their mothers and to study the relationship with their oral health status. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Information was collected on oral hygiene habits (brushing, frequency and duration, equipment and methodology, frequency of changing toothbrushes) and various indices (CAF, plaque, bleeding). RESULTS: The sample was composed of 200 children and 200 mothers. The results of this study showed no statistically significant difference between mothers and their children in terms of the method of brushing and the frequency of changing toothbrushes. A statistically significant difference was found between mothers and their children concerning the use and change of toothbrushes and brushing frequency. A highly significant positive correlation was observed between the plaque index of mothers and their children. CONCLUSION: Low rates of toothbrush use were observed in this population and the brushing method was very inefficient. The correlation between the plaque index of mothers and their children suggests that mother's oral hygiene behaviours influence their children's oral health.