Maternal food literacy and health behaviors in relation to children’s DMFT scores: a cross-sectional study from Türkiye

Although maternal food literacy was not directly associated with children's DMFT scores in bivariate analyses, the multiple linear regression model using the backward elimination method identified higher maternal health literacy as an independent predictor of increased caries experience in children. Socioeconomic conditions and oral health behaviors were also strongly associated with caries outcomes. These findings emphasize the importance of daily oral hygiene habits in children and suggest that oral health interventions should address behavioral education within families, regardless of literacy level.