Preventive dental behavior in families: a national survey.

The results of the 1980 survey showed that a majority of white American family members adhered to a strict toothbrushing schedule. The popular times of brushing were before bedtime, after breakfast, and on arising. This pattern of preferred brushing times was similar to that in the 1966 and 1974 surveys. Only a small percentage of the sample flossed daily. More than half of the sample visited their dentists regularly. More than 70% visited their dentists for preventive examinations or cleanings within the year before the survey was done. Compared with the results from the 1966 and 1974 surveys, the preventive dental behavior of the white American families has improved significantly since 1966.