Snacking and oral health habits of Washington state WIC children and their caregivers.

The purpose of this study was to assess the snacking and oral hygiene habits of Washington State WIC children and their caregivers. In a structured interview, 84 caregivers reported that their children, 12 to 48 months of age, were snacking two to three times daily. Nutritious foods--milk, fruit juice, crackers, bananas, apples and cheese--were the most frequenty reported snacks. However, 38 percent of children were given highly cariogenic raisins for snacks once or more times per week. Snack foods were purchased most often by caregivers because they were healthful or the child's favorite. Putting their child to bed with a bottle was a regular practice of one-fourth of the group. Caregivers stated that not brushing the teeth and sugar intake were the main causes of cavities. One-fourth of the children did not have their teeth cleaned by an adult and 17 percent did not appear to receive adequate fluoride. Tooth decay or bleeding gums when brushing were commonly reported dental problems of caregivers. One-half of WIC caregivers had not visited a dentist in the last year, whereas, 91 percent of WIC children had never had a dental examination.