A lack of oral health literacy among caregivers and access to dental services is driving tooth decay in young children research from Edith Cowan University (ECU) has confirmed, with early childhood tooth decay affecting nearly half of Australian preschool aged children.
ECU senior lecturer Dr Ruth Wallace said that if left untreated, cavities and tooth decay can impact children’s quality of life, causing acute pain, sepsis and tooth loss, which can impact both feeding and speech development.
“There is also a societal view that baby teeth are less important than permanent teeth, but they are important for eating and speaking. Children can have baby teeth up to 10 or 12 years old,” co-author Dr Elizabeth Wenden said.
Furthermore, decay in baby teeth can also spread to the permanent teeth impacting dental health and general health into adulthood.
While access to dental health care professionals was an ongoing issue for people in rural and regional WA, the research—published in Child: Care, Health and Development—found that inconsistent messages on oral health and hygiene, as well as dietary sugars were the biggest hinderance.
Most of the research participants in the study identified soft drinks and sugar free soft drinks as not being tooth safe, however the cavity risks of dried fruit or fruit yogurt in pouches was flagged by less than half the study participants.
Confusion around oral hygiene practices was also evident, with only 26 per cent of participants reporting that they brushed their children’s teeth twice daily (as recommended), and 70 per cent of participants reporting that they never flossed their children’s teeth.
“Flossing is almost unheard of for young children, when in fact recommendations suggest it is good practice once there are two teeth touching,” Dr Wallace said.
Dr Wenden noted that the earlier healthy oral hygiene habits are introduced, the better .
Dr Wallace added it was important for parents and caregivers to stay informed on the best way to look after their children’s teeth, and to make use of available government incentives targeted at early childhood.
“We know that poverty, education level and English as a first language are all determinants that can impact how caregivers and parents manage their child’s oral health. By addressing those underlying determinants, we can hopefully support more positive behaviours.”
