The aim of this study were to estimate the normal growth and development in preschool children and to contribute to the promotion of dental health care. We have observed their oral health longitudinally through the dental examinations every year since 1987 and conducted an investigation by means of questionnairs at nursery school and a day nursery in the town of Yuki around Hiroshima city.
The following results were obtained.
1) 41.9% of the parents took care concerning the prevention of dental caries.
2) As to taste trends, the favorite food of preschool children was fruit and confectionery, and undesirable food was vegetables. As for the frequency of between meal eating about 80% of the preschool children ate sweets once a day on school days and twice a day on days off from school. About 40% of the 6-year-olds spend their pocket money on sweets and the number increased as compared with those of other ages. The differences were often statistically significant (p<0.05).
3) As for brushing, more than 70% preschool children brushed their teeth after breakfast and before going to bed. As for who does the brushing and how long the brushing is done, for brushing except for before going to bed, the children did the brushing themselves in many cases but the brushing time is short. For brushing before going to bed, over half of the parents helped out, while most of the children required more than three minutes to do the brushing.
4) More parents who took care concerning prevention of dental caries assisted their children with tooth brushing at after breakfast and after supper, and fed. them less frequently between meal snacks than those that did not. The differences were often statistically significant (p<0.05)