Edith Cowan University study reveals two third of WA children never taken to a dentist

Two thirds of West Australian children under five years old have never been taken to a dentist, an alarming new study has revealed. The Edith Cowan University-led survey also showed many parents did not make their kids brush twice a day, with some admitting they did not want to have to deal with a tantrum. It comes amid a rise in cavities and decay in pre-school aged children, with hospital data revealing dental conditions were the leading cause of hospital admissions in the State. The study — which was based off a survey and focus group of dozens of mothers and fathers across the State — showed that while most could correctly identify sugar drinks and lollies as bad for children’s teeth, most believed yoghurt pouches, which often have high sugar content and rely on a sucking mechanism, were safe. Parents were also confused about dental behaviours such as brushing a child’s teeth twice a day, with some flagging difficulty in encouraging their kids to brush, or even finding time. “We do it at night and not always in the morning. Depends on if we are in a rush,” one participant told the study. “The last thing you want is a fight on your hands,” another said, “There’s only so much that you can force upon a child once they get to a certain age. It’s probably my biggest challenge,” a third told the focus group. But researcher Ruth Wallace said there was a clear split between more laid back and authoritarian parents on encouraging the brushing of teeth — but not always for the best, admitting though the balance was difficult to find. “The parents that perhaps had a more laid back or grace their child more autonomy, were probably the ones that struggled a little bit more with tooth brushing,” she told The West. “Whereas those more authoritarian parents, like ‘we are brushing your teeth, and it’s going to happen right now’, maybe found more success. “We’re getting successful tooth brushing, at the expense of something else, perhaps in that child’s development, their lack of autonomy, their lack of choice.” Another concern highlighted by the study was that two-thirds of families with children under five were not seeing dentists for check ups. Some parents told the focus group of financial or geographic struggles, while others spoke of their own fears. “I always had this anxiety about going to the dentist. It’s probably in the back of my mind,” one parent said. “I just knew they wouldn’t be comfortable to sit in the chair under the age of four. I think they would have been scared,” another said. “I haven’t gone because I don’t want a grilling from the dentist . . . they will just tell me to get rid of the dummy but no advice on how to do it.” Dr Wallace said earlier visits with children to the dentist could combat early fears and identify dental problems in their first stages. “Prevention is better than cure . . . a regular visit to the dentist is one of those key prevention strategies, and the recommendations say that you should be taking your child to the dentist as soon as the first tooth erupts, “ she said “Children are not getting used to going to the dentist and are missing out on that early preventative care that they could be getting — that could prevent a lot of problems happening.”