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Researchers from Case Western Reserve University's School of Dental Medicine have claimed that a mother's emotional health and education level during her child's earliest years influence oral health at age 14. 

The findings are published in the Journal of Dental Research.

The researchers examined the teeth of 224 adolescent participants in a longitudinal study that followed very low birth weight and normal birth weight children. 

Researchers gathered health and medical information from the children and their mothers to assess the child's wellbeing at age 3, 8 and now 14. The researchers analyzed the teen's oral health by counting the number of decayed, filled or missing permanent teeth and assessed the level of dental plaque, a symptom for poor oral hygiene.

Mothers completed a questionnaire about preventative treatments from sealants to mouthwashes, sugary juice or soft drink consumption and access to dental care and frequency of dental visits.

According to the researchers, even with access to dental insurance, fluoride treatments and sealants as young children, it did not always prevent cavities by the age of 14.

The researchers found if mothers struggled in any of the three areas, the oral health of the teens at age 14 resulted in higher numbers of oral health problems.

Researchers said the environments of the children cannot be ignored and it isn't enough to tell children to brush and floss, they need more-and particularly from their caregivers.

The oral health boost comes from mothers, who muster coping skills to handle everyday stresses and develop social networks to provide for their children's needs.

It was found that mothers with more education beyond high school, with healthy emotional states and knowledge about eating right had children with healthier teeth.

Researchers said moms need to care for themselves to help their children. 

Researchers started with the oral health of the teens and worked backwards to age 3 to find out what factors in their past influenced their oral health outcomes.

 While mothers were interviewed, researchers believes it can apply to whoever is the child's primary caregiver.