Regular dental care in preschoolers in rural Southern Brazil.

Objective: To evaluate if factors related to the mother's previous guidance on her children's dental health and the school attendance of children influence the regular dental care of preschoolers living in the rural area of a municipality in Southern Brazil.

Methods: A population-based study was conducted with 264 children under five years of age and their mothers. Socioeconomic and behavioral data were collected using a questionnaire, and the children were subjected to dental health tests.