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. 2006 Nov-Dec;28(6):524-30.

Covariates of tooth-brushing frequency in low-income African Americans from grades 5 to 8

A Koerber  1 , S Graumlich, I C Punwani, M L Berbaum, J L Burns, S R Levy, J M Cowell, B R Flay
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Covariates of tooth-brushing frequency in low-income African Americans from grades 5 to 8

A Koerber et al. Pediatr Dent. 2006 Nov-Dec.

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine tooth-brushing frequency in 575 urban and nearby suburban African American children as part of a comprehensive risk-reduction study for students at high risk for violence, drugs, school delinquency, and unsafe sexual behaviors to determine which covariates predicted tooth-brushing frequency.

Methods: Students were surveyed 5 times, from the beginning of grade 5 and the end of each year through grade 8, and parents were surveyed at the beginning of grade 5. Peer influence, importance of being liked, self-esteem, attitudes towards tooth-brushing, oral health knowledge, self-efficacy, parental attitudes, and other covariates were examined for the ability to predict self-reporting of tooth-brushing frequency.

Results: In the fifth grade, peer influence, the importance of being liked, and physical self-esteem were the significant predictors, and peer influence continued to predict tooth-brushing in the eighth grade. Oral health knowledge and parental influence were not significant.

Conclusion: Peer influence is an important factor in tooth-brushing behavior in metropolitan African American preadolescent children.

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