Australian dentists urge parents to take better care of their children’s teeth
Dentists across Australia are appealing to parents to take better care of their children’s teeth.
The appeal comes in the light of a case involving a 9 year old girl, who was forced to have twelve teeth extracted; last week, her mother was charged with neglect and ordered to spend a year in jail. The judge heard that the girl had not visited a dentist in three years and was suffering from severe dental pain and was unable to eat properly due to a weeping dental abscess.
Dentists right across the country claim that they are seeing an increasing number of young children with severe dental health problems, which could be prevented if children were taught to look after their teeth properly. Children as young as three years old are suffering from extensive decay and many are being admitted to hospital to have teeth removed under general anaesthetic.
Perth paediatric dentist, Dr Peter Gregory, said the current situation was alarming and very worrying; he often sees very young children with extensive dental problems and is worried that the situation seems to be getting worse every year. Dr Gregory said that parents did not seem to be aware of the serious consequences of poor oral hygiene and a poor diet and consequently many children are ending up in emergency medical departments.
In order to improve standards of oral health amongst young children, dentists are urging parents to introduce their children to a thorough daily oral hygiene routine from a very early age and encourage their children to eat healthy foods, rather than sugary treats. Dentists are also keen for parents to bring their children for regular check-ups from the age of one.
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