New survey suggests UK parents are more proactive when promoting good oral health for children
A new survey suggests that parents in the UK are better at promoting good oral health measures for their children than their counterparts in other countries.
A poll commissioned to celebrate World Oral Health Day revealed that UK parents are more likely to restrict their child’s daily intake of sugar and take their child for regular dental checks. Parents in the UK topped the list in both of these categories. Fifty-two percent of parents in the UK restrict sugar consumption, compared to 44% of parents in Sweden, 41% in Australia and 32% in America.
The survey, which was carried out by YouGov and commissioned by FDI World Dental Federation, also showed that 63% of UK parents take their children for an annual dental check-up. This figure was significantly higher than the second-placed country Argentina (47%). In the US, only 41% of parents take their child for a regular dental check.
To gather information, researchers contacted 11,500 adults in the UK, Sweden, the US, Argentina, Australia, China, France, Morocco, the Philippines and Egypt.
FDI president, Dr Gerhard K. Seeberger, said that the findings of the survey underline the fact that adults aren’t doing enough to prioritise dental health. Tooth decay is the number one cause of hospital admissions for children, despite the fact that it can be prevented with good oral hygiene and a healthy diet.
In light of the survey results, Dr Seeberger called for more collaboration between medical and dental professionals and encouraged people to think about the impact of poor diets, most notably, sugar intake, on oral health, as well as on child obesity levels.
Join this Discussion