Girls Who Skip Meals Four Times More Likely To Get Tooth Decay
May 10, 2005

Nancy Volkers
InteliHealth News Service

INTELIHEALTH -- Another reason not to miss breakfast: Girls who skip meals quadruple their risk of tooth decay, Swedish researchers say.

One hundred sixty-two girls were followed from sixth to ninth grade. They all received regular dental care during that time. The effects of missing meals showed up in eighth grade, when the researchers found that one-third of the girls skipped breakfast and half did not eat lunch.

In this study, missing meals had more effect on the risk of tooth decay than brushing habits or diet. Most of the girls ate sweet snacks and brushed their teeth at least once a day.

Girls who smoked also were more likely to develop tooth decay, say the researchers, who work at a public dental clinic in Falkenberg, Sweden. To reduce the risk of tooth decay, they suggest stressing the importance of regular meals, especially breakfast, to girls ages 12 to 15.

The study appears in the May issue of the International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry.