Dental Health Week #3: Kids' dental issues mostly preventable

Hospitals may not be the most obvious place for children to have dental treatment but annually thousands of Australian families are having to do just that.

The unfortunate part is most of these dental conditions could have been prevented.

The latest results from the Australian Dental Association’s (ADA) Consumer Survey of 25,000 people reveals a litany of factors contributing to infant and child tooth decay – from excessive sugary drink consumption including fruit juice and soft drinks, to not starting dental visits early enough, not accessing government-funded free dental entitlements and only taking children to the family dentist when there’s a problem.

Data from the ADA’s other data source the Children and Young People Oral Health Tracker (1) shows nearly 11 (10.8) in every 1,000 children aged 5-9 are hospitalized for potentially preventable problems due to dental conditions. For Indigenous children this rises to 14.3 per 1,000 children. It also found only 56% of children visit the dentist before age 5.

“Often it’s a case of people just not being aware of all the facts and that’s why Dental Health Week (August 5-11) is important - so that the key messages about looking after children’s teeth gets out to thousands of families, and kids have the best start in life when it comes to dental health,” said ADA Oral Health Promoter Dr Mikaela Chinotti.

The ADA’s Consumer Survey’s new findings uncover a widely held misconception about when parents think children are meant to have their first dental visit:

• 5% said before 12 months
• 20% said at 1 year old
• 42% at 2 years old
• 19% at 3 years old
• 4% at 4 years old.

However, dentists recommend the first dental visit when an infant’s first tooth or teeth emerge, typically before or around age one. Unfortunately, one third (32%) of parents reported their child’s first visit was for pain or a problem.

“A first dental visit for a tooth ache may create a negative first experience. We don’t want that to be your child’s introduction to the dentist. It’s important to see the dentist even if you think your child’s teeth are healthy,” said Dr Chinotti. For families eligible for the Child Dental Benefits Schedule*, there’s no reason to delay the first dental visit with children up to 17 years eligible.

The great news is that problems like tooth decay, if picked up early, can be controlled fairly simply (for example with fluoride applications) before they become established and cause trouble. Leaving it till the teeth hurt or break down means simpler interventions are unlikely to work and more complex treatment may be needed.

Tooth decay remains an issue for Australian kids with 34% aged 5-6 years having experienced decay in primary or baby teeth and 27% aged 5-10 years having untreated tooth decay in primary teeth.

Sugary drinks undoubtedly contribute to this problem. The Consumer Survey showed that while 85% of parents are aware soft drinks, energy drinks and fruit juice lead to decay, 26% of children nevertheless have fruit juice daily, 37% have 2-5 fruit juices a week, and 37% have 2-5 soft drinks a week (not necessarily the same kids).

“As a parent I know that sometimes we think we’re being kind to our kids by giving them a sweet treat. But most sugary drinks have no nutritional value.

“These choices are not being kind to them in the long run. Sugar causes decay and when left untreated, can result in physical pain and time off school for children as well as financial pain and time off work for parents or carers.”

The ADA survey highlights that while parents understand that fruit juice has sugar, they think juices have health benefits. This is promoted in the advertising and labelling of these products, aimed purposely to mislead parents. The truth is that they offer little nutritional benefit - kids are better off having a piece of fresh fruit rather than drinking shop-bought juice.

References

1. This new data comes from the ADA’s 2024 Children and Young People Oral Health Tracker, a recently updated report on preventable oral diseases and their risk factors. It is a collaboration between the ADA, The Mitchell Institute and Victoria University. Access the Tracker document here.