Michaela ONeill, President of the British Society of Dental Hygiene and Therapy (BSDHT) says it is the responsibility of mothers, fathers, teachers, dental professionals and politicians alike, to help resolve the current crisis in children’s dental health but more must be done to help provide direct assistance to parents.
The new figures, which have been released by MyDentist, show a total of 19 per cent of parents in East Anglia have never taken their children to the dentist – the lowest take-up in the country.
Nationally, more than 700,000 children under eight who have been to the dentist have had at least one filling, costing the NHS an estimated £22m a year.
Ms ONeill said, “Tooth decay and poor dental health has a significant impact on our overall health and well-being, and in children is a substantial indicator for their quality of life when they enter adulthood. Avoiding dental disease such as tooth decay is incredibly important and it’s critical that children are given the best possible opportunity to keep good dental health.
“In addition to daily brushing and a good diet, visiting a dental professional, whether it’s a dentist, dental hygienist or therapist, as often as they recommend, is one of the most important measures parents can take to look after their child’s teeth.”
In June, the BSDHT launched First Smiles, a dedicated day which paired up schools and dental professionals with the goal of making a positive difference and improving the oral health and well-being of young school children.
Ms ONeill believes new initiatives in the classroom could be one answer to help solve the alarming child dental health figures, and are excellent opportunities to give children the skills they need to take care of their teeth throughout the rest of their life.
“First Smiles enabled dental hygienists and therapists from across the country to go into schools and teach thousands of young children about the importance of a healthy mouth. We ensured thousands of early years and primary school children received the right information, delivered in an easy to understand and enjoyable way, which they could later adopt at home.
“There were lessons on everything from tooth brushing demonstrations to imaginative activities and information around nutrition and diet. Visits such as these can have a profoundly positive effect on the attitudes of children towards dental professionals and their own oral health.
“Additionally, children were also given toothbrushes and toothpaste along with dental and motivational packs to take home and share with their families. It is these home resources that could then help provide information to parents too.”
Tooth decay also is the leading cause of hospital admissions among British children and has resulted in more than 46,000 children being admitted to hospital every year to have their teeth removed.
This research supports a recent Child’s Dental Health Survey, which revealed nearly a third (31 per cent) of five year olds and nearly a half (46 per cent) of eight year olds have visible signs of dental decay.