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Impact of Common Fruit Juices and Toothbrushing on the Discoloration of Primary Teeth
Published on: March 27, 2026
Toothbrushing patterns over time in at-risk metropolitan African-American 5th- 8th graders
Anne Koerber1, James L Burns, Michael Berbaum
1Department of Pediatric Dentistry, MC 850, College of Dentistry, University of Illinois-Chicago, 801 South Paulina Street, Chicago, IL 60612, USA. akoerber@uic.edu
Objectives:
A large study of risky pre-teen behavior provided an opportunity to examine self-reported toothbrushing frequency for stability over time and adequacy.
Methods:
1115 metropolitan African-American children at risk for violence and drug use self-reported toothbrushing frequency in at least one of five measurement points from 5th to 8th grade as part of a larger study. Longitudinal data were available for 815 students.
Results:
81% reported mainly twice daily, 8% reported mainly once daily, 10% changed over time, and 1% were consistently less than once daily.
Conclusions:
Overall, the children reported once or twice daily toothbrushing frequency, stable between 5th and 8th grades. A minority of children showed low or inconsistent frequencies and these results may indicate an opportunity for intervention to improve habits.
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