Table 2.
Dental Beliefs Endorsed by Study Members at Ages 15, 18, and 26 yrs
| Belief at 15 Number (%) | Belief at 18 Number (%) | Belief at 26 Number (%) | Belief at at Least One Age, Number (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avoiding a lot of sweet foods | ||||
| Important | 628 (84.8) | 589 (79.5) | 591 (79.8) | 724 (97.7) |
| Not important | 113 (15.2) | 152 (20.5) | 150 (20.2) | 298 (40.2) |
| Using fluoride toothpaste | ||||
| Important | 646 (87.2) | 666 (89.9) | 694 (93.7) | 734 (99.1) |
| Not important | 95 (12.8) | 73 (9.8) | 46 (6.2) | 173 (23.3) |
| Other/don’t know | 2 (0.3) | 1 (0.1) | ||
| Visiting dentist regularly | ||||
| Important | 694 (93.7) | 676 (91.2) | 662 (89.3) | 736 (99.3) |
| Not important | 47 (6.3) | 65 (8.8) | 79 (10.7) | 152 (21.5) |
| Keeping the teeth and gums very clean | ||||
| Important | 714 (96.4) | 728 (98.2) | 731 (98.7) | 739 (99.7) |
| Not important | 27 (3.6) | 13 (1.8) | 9 (1.2) | 45 (6.1) |
| Other/don’t know | 1 (0.1) | |||
| Drinking fluoridated water | ||||
| Important | 479 (64.6) | 459 (61.9) | 525 (70.9) | 664 (89.6) |
| Not important | 257 (34.7) | 280 (37.8) | 205 (29.0) | 449 (60.6) |
| Other/don’t know | 5 (0.7) | 2 (0.3) | 1 (0.1) | |
| Using dental floss | ||||
| Important | 533 (71.9) | 517 (69.8) | 581 (78.4) | 689 (93.0) |
| Not important | 205 (27.7) | 224 (30.2) | 160 (21.6) | 363 (49.0) |
| Other/don’t know | 3 (0.4) | |||