Between-meal eating, toothbrushing frequency and dental caries in 4-year-old children in the north of Sweden.

Two hundred and forty-nine 4-year-old children were examined for dental caries, and data were collected on frequency of toothbrushing, use of fluorides, and intake of nine different snack products. Dental caries experience of children who brushed once or twice daily with parental help was significantly lower than that of children who brushed irregularly. The intake of snacks was high. Buns and cakes, ice cream, and sweet beverages were consumed more often than sweets. Children who had high snack intakes and brushed irregularly had significantly higher caries experience than those with low snack intakes and regular toothbrushing. Therefore irregular toothbrushing was shown to potentiate the impact of frequent snacking.