DT News - UK - Irish children do not see dentist before entering school

Dental Tribune International

Thu. 3 November 2016

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DUBLIN, Ireland: Children in Ireland have their first dental visit some years too late. The average age from which they are screened under the current national programme for the first time is now 8, according to the Dean of the Faculty of Dentistry at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI), Dr John Walsh.

Addressing attendees at the faculty’s annual scientific meeting last weekend, Walsh said that missing out on seeing a dentist at an early age can mean significant setbacks in terms of dental health.

“Baby teeth guide adult teeth into their correct position and early loss of baby teeth can result in orthodontic problems later in life,” he said.

Similar to the UK, parents in Ireland are recommended to have their children first see a dentist once they reach six months of age, but when children present for their first dental check-up, there can already be substantial decay and damage to the teeth, according to Walsh. In addition to having a significant long-term impact on oral health, dental problems early in life can lead to social disadvantages, like the inability to communicate feelings, research has shown. Also, children with dental problems are more likely to be bullied at school.

“Research has shown that fixing decayed first teeth results in better sleep patterns for children, better performance in schools, and most importantly, less orthodontic treatments later in life. I would urge parents to take this on board, and ensure their children see a dentist as early as possible in their lives,” Walsh said.

This year’s annual scientific conference of the RCSI was jointly organised with the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and attended by internationally prominent experts in the field, including Drs Rob Delarosa, Paul Casamassimo and Jessica Lee. It also saw the launch of the fourth edition of Healthy Teeth for Life, a guide to child’s dental health published by the Irish Dental Health Foundation.

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