Parents found ignorant on children's dental care
More than one in five young children are being left to brush their teeth unsupervised, according to the National Dental Survey 2008.
The survey, in which the British Dental Health Foundation and dental products maker Oral B interviewed 1,000 people in ten UK cities during April, found that 20 per cent of children were brushing unsupervised, and parents seemed to have little idea about what made good oral health for children.
A quarter of the parents believed that children did not need to brush twice a day and 23 per cent thought there was no need for them to avoid fizzy drinks.
Over two-thirds also believed that dentists recommend brushing for one minute rather than the optimum two minutes.
Dr Nigel Carter, chief executive of the British Dental Health Foundation,said, 'These results really are very worrying and help explain why around half of children under the age of five currently have tooth decay in the UK.'
He added, 'Teaching children good dental habits is vital. Not only has research shown that people who learn good habits as children are far more likely to carry them into adulthood, but taking bad habits into adulthood will cause gum disease, and this has been linked to all manner of serious conditions including diabetes, strokes, heart disease and low birth-weight babies.
'Oral health is often seen as of secondary importance to general health, but that is wrong,' said Dr Carter. 'The theme of this year's National Smile Month, "Brush for Health", will make the public aware of the very real links between oral health and overall body health.'
FURTHER INFORMATION
National Smile Month is runnng from 18 May to 17 June. Find resources and ideas at www.nationalsmileweek.org/uk.
