Could Parents Be Putting Millions of Children’s Oral Health at Risk?
New research has suggested that parents could be putting up to seven million children’s oral health at risk because they are unaware of a highly effective preventative dental treatment, which is available free of charge on the NHS.
Research conducted by mydentist revealed that 60 percent of parents are unaware of the availability of fluoride varnish treatment, a preventative treatment, which helps to protect the tooth enamel and reduce the risk of decay.
The survey also showed that around 30 percent of parents admit that they struggle to get their kids to brush their teeth twice a day and 50 percent said that they help with brushing around twice a week only. Around 25 percent of parents buy into gimmicks such as flavoured toothpaste and specially designed brushes to prevent falling out with their kids when it comes to getting them to clean their teeth.
mydentist clinical director, Steve Williams, said that it’s “shocking” that almost seven million kids are missing out on a free treatment that is proven to decrease the risk of dental decay.
In response to the findings, mydentist is launching a national ‘Kids Club’ scheme to inform parents and children about NHS services and encourage them to adopt positive oral hygiene habits. The aim is to ensure that as many parents as possible know about fluoride varnish treatment and to make sure that millions more children benefit from the service.
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