Australian dentists despair over childhood extraction rates

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Australian dentists are despairing at soaring rates of decay in young children. The National Child Oral Health Study shows that decay is the most common preventable illnesses among Australian children, with a third of 4-6 year olds suffering from cavities and signs of infection.

Dr Sophie Beaumont, from the Royal Dental Hospital of Melbourne, said that it is increasingly common to carry out a series of extraction procedures on a daily basis, with some children needing more than 10 teeth removed. A normal day for Dr Beaumont now involves surgically extracting teeth from children under general anaesthetic and many in the profession believe that the main issue is a poor diet high in sugar.

Thanh Le, an oral therapist at North Richmond Community Health, said that young children are typically consuming too much sugar and this is resulting in rising rates of decay. Thanh’s colleague, Rooney Lai, added that it’s heart-breaking to see children as young as 2 or 3 coming into the centre to have new teeth fitted after undergoing extraction due to severe decay. Many children are taking in too much sugar as a result of eating sugary snacks, drinking juice and fizzy pop and having sugary drinks in their bottles during the night.

In a bid to clamp down on decay, Dr Beaumont has called for parents to be made aware of the dangers of a sugary diet and urged parents to stick to milk or water for children and avoid snacking between meals. Healthy eating can make a huge difference, especially when combined with brushing twice daily and regular dental checks.

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