Uptake of a multilingual intervention to promote toothbrushing in a safety-net health care system

Dental caries is the most common chronic disease of childhood, disproportionately affecting low-income minority children. Twice daily toothbrushing with fluoridated toothpaste is proven as a clinically effective, low-cost method of reducing dental caries in children. Favorable toothbrushing behaviors of young children are strongly associated with parental support, thus interventions to improve toothbrushing in children should also focus on parents/caregivers. We designed a multilingual intervention to promote toothbrushing among children attending a safety-net health care system, by providing parents/caregivers with a toothbrushing kit during well-child visits.