While 97% of parents of children ages five and under (and who have dental insurance) would rate their child’s oral health as excellent or good, many parents may be overly optimistic. A MetLife Study released Feb. 6, 2012, reveals many parents are not following recommended guidelines for brushing, flossing, and other habits for optimal pediatric oral health.
Nearly a quarter of surveyed parents, 23%, have been told by a dentist or hygienist that their child was at risk for tooth decay.
About half (47%) of the parents surveyed have not spoken to their pediatrician about their child’s teeth and may not be making the connection between their child’s oral health and their overall health.
“According to the office of the Surgeon General, tooth decay is the single most common childhood disease — five times more common than asthma and seven times more common than hay fever. Parents should be speaking to their pediatricians to learn more about how their child’s oral health can affect their overall health,” said Dr. David Guarrera, vice president, MetLife Dental Products. “With the help of their dentist, parents can take a few simple steps to introduce healthy oral hygiene habits at an early age and to make sure their children’s teeth are protected.”
Practicing Healthy Oral Hygiene
According to the study, 42% of respondents report that their child’s teeth or gums are brushed once a day or less, and nearly half, 45%, say their child’s teeth are never flossed.
“Children should be introduced to the concept of teeth cleaning and brushing at an early age. Once a tooth appears, parents should brush children’s teeth twice a day with a child’s toothbrush and water,” notes Dr. Guarrera. “According to the American Dental Association, parents should start using floss on their children’s teeth as soon as any two teeth touch, to remove plaque where a toothbrush cannot reach.”
Over half of parents, 60%, say their kids are eating sugary foods at least once a day.
Working with the Dentist
Nearly 25% of respondents have not taken their child to the dentist in the past year for a dental exam. When asked about how often their child should visit the dentist, about one-third (35%) responded that a child 5 years-old or younger should visit a dentist less frequently than twice a year or were unsure.
“It is recommended that a child is taken to see a dentist within six months from when the first tooth appears, but no later than his or her first birthday,” notes Dr. Guarrera. “But two-thirds of parents in the study said that their child was two- to three-years-old when he or she had the first dental check-up. This is troubling because, while 72% of respondents added their child to their dental insurance policy between their birth and their first birthday, only 16% of parents actually took their child for their first dental check-up.”
Only 46% of respondents say their child has received fluoride treatment from a dentist or dental hygienist within the past year. Sixty-one percent of respondents report fluoride is in their tap water and 39% indicate there is either no fluoride in their tap water or they are not sure.
Download a copy of Parental Oral Health Literacy: Equipping Parents with Important Information about Children’s Oral Health by accessing the library at www.oralhealthlibrary.com/wp.
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