Australian Dentists Worried about Parents’ Attitude to Oral Health
Australian dentists are worried that parents are accepting tooth decay as part of their child’s development. In a survey conducted by the Australian Dental Association, 60 percent of parents stated that they accept their child would suffer from tooth decay during their childhood.
The survey also revealed that more than a third of parents stated they were aware that their child only brushes their teeth once a day, despite dentists recommending brushing twice a day.
Dr Angela Pierce, from the Australian Dental Association, said that tooth decay had become one of the nation’s most common health problems. She went on to say that decay was fives times more common than asthma in children and the second “most-costly” preventable condition in the country.
Dr Pierce warned that rates would only get worse if decay is thought as inevitable, rather than trying to prevent it by monitoring dental routines performed by children. Dr Pierce said that parents need to instil good habits in their children from an early age, but also stressed that dentists must do more to educate and support parents.
Join this Discussion