Objective: to find the relation between the consumption of caries-preventing food and degree of caries severity in children.
Method: The type of study was cross sectional. Study population were school-age children at primary schools in Cihideung, Tasikmalaya. The responden were 278 children from 9 schools , taken as two stage random sampling from 27 primary schools.
Result: mean def-t 5.9 +- 3.1 with prevalence 96.8%. Caries-preventing food that was usually consumed were bengkoang, apple, melon, watermelon, etc. The consumption of caries-preventing food was only half of the amount of consumption of cariogenic food. The habit of consumpting caries-preventive food has reverse relation to caries severity (r=0,14; nilai p=0,019)
Conclusion: the habit of consumpting caries-preventive food could reduce the caries severity.
Suggestion: Instead of prohibiting children of taking cariogenic food, it is recommended to motivate children to consume more of caries-preventive food.