DT News - UK - Eight in ten parents fail to take children to dentist

Dental Tribune International

Tue. 26 March 2013

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WINCHESTER, UK: A new survey of more than 3,000 adults in the UK has found that almost 80 per cent of parents in the country only took their children to the dentist once they were over a year old. Although the first dental visit is recommended at six months of age, about 5 per cent of parents waited until their children turned five.

As reported by dentistry.co.uk, younger parents in particular do not take their small children to the dentist regularly. While 75 per cent of the participants aged over 45 with children said that their children visit the dentist every six months, only 47 per cent of 18- to 34-year-old parents reported likewise.

Overall, 10 per cent stated that they had not taken their child to the dentist at all. Most of these respondents came from the south (15 per cent), from the east (14 per cent) and from London (11 per cent).

“The potential impact of this on the oral health of many children in this country could be enormous, not just in the short term, but leading to long-term health problems such as severe disease and consequently unnecessary fillings and extractions,” said Dr Henry Clover, Deputy Chief Dental Officer at Denplan, a dental payment plan specialist.

The British Dental Health Foundation recommends taking children to the dentist as soon as possible after they develop their first baby tooth and as often as the dentist recommends. Through regular visits, the child will become used to the noises, smells and surroundings of the dental setting. This will reduce fear of the dentist and reduce the risk of dental diseases significantly.

The survey was conducted by YouGov, a London-based online market research agency, on behalf of Denplan.

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