Standards of dental health declining amongst Australian children
Children as young as four years old are facing extensive dental work due to severe dental health problems, it has been revealed.
Dentists across Australia are reporting a worrying trend, which involves very young children requiring complex dental work to repair damaged teeth or extract rotten teeth. Some children are even being given intravenous antibiotics to tackle serious, potentially life-threatening infections.
Paediatric dentist, Dr Vivienne Livett, said that she has seen an alarmingly high number of children who have needed several teeth removing due to extensive decay, as well as those who had swollen, sore faces due to dental abscesses. With very young children, dentists are often forced to put them under general anaesthetic as the procedure is toot traumatic for them to remain conscious; however, general anaesthetic carries risks and it can take a while for children to recover after the operation. Most cases of tooth decay are preventable and children should not have to go through such traumatic procedures, according to Dr Livett.
The Australian Dental Association estimates that 5 percent of Australia’s young children have extensive cavities; however, the actual percentage could be much higher because many children do not visit their dentist on a regular basis.
Just yesterday, a mother from Ipswich was sent to jail on charges of child neglect; her nine year old daughter was forced to have twelve teeth extracted because her mother had only given her fruit cordial to drink and had failed to take her to a dentist for three years. The Court announced that the girl had severe dental abscesses, which were draining pus and made it extremely painful to eat.
The Australian Dental Association is keen to raise awareness of the important of good oral hygiene and healthy eating so that parents realise how important it is to look after their children’s teeth and gums. Dentists are keen to encourage parents to get their children involved in oral health from a very early age and keep an eye on their child’s diet.
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