New Survey Reveals Half Of Children Do Not See A Dentist Regularly
A new survey has revealed that half of children in the UK do not see a dentist on a regular basis.
The survey, which was conducted by Mintel and involved 2,000 parents, found that half of children do not go for regular dental check-ups and only 57 per cent of parents supervise their children to ensure they brush properly.
Roshida Khanom, an analyst from Mintel, said that the survey shows an alarming lack of awareness about the importance of regular check-ups for children. Dentists recommend 6 monthly checks for children from an early age and advise parents to take their child for at least one check-up before they reach the age of 2 years old.
The findings of the survey are concerning, especially as the NHS provides free dental care for children under the age of 18 years old.
The poll found that most parents do not think it is necessary to take their child to a dentist when they first get their baby teeth, while 1 in 10 admitted that they don’t pay too much attention to their child’s teeth because the baby teeth fall out anyway.
Dentists are eager to educate parents about the importance of good oral health, as premature tooth loss can cause problems in adult life and children who have decay often suffer pain and struggle to concentrate at school. When children have severely decayed teeth they also have to have them extracted under general anaesthetic in hospital and this is a daunting prospect for children, which exposes them to risks. Decay is entirely preventable and focusing on diet and oral hygiene will help to drastically reduce the risk of children suffering from dental diseases.
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