Almost one in five of children under five in Wales have poor oral hygiene
Too many children under the age of five have poor oral hygiene, according to a survey published by charity Action for Children.
The polling of 2,000 parents across the UK (115 in Wales) found that 19% children under five in Wales brush their teeth just once a day or less frequently, even though baby teeth, much like adult teeth, need brushing twice a day – in the morning and just before bed.
Almost a quarter of Welsh parents (24 per cent) also said that they only sometimes supervise their children aged five or under to brush their teeth, despite the fact that NHS guidelines advise parents to supervise their children while brushing their teeth up until the age of seven. Lack of supervision to ensure children are brushing effectively twice a day, can lead to a lifetime of poor oral health.
To tackle the problem the charity has launched family educational sessions and take-home packs for ten thousand children across the UK, including Wales to help them develop an effective oral hygiene routine. The workshops will offer the chance to take part in interactive activities and discussions and to find out useful tips about brushing, limiting sugary food and drinks and regular visits to the dentist.
Brigitte Gater, director of children’s services for Action for Children in Wales, said:
“Too many children continue to be badly affected by poor oral health – being able to smile with confidence is important for a child’s self-esteem and lifelong physical health. Through our fun and informative workshops we aim to provide the opportunity for children and families to develop a better understanding of the importance of oral health. Prevention can help avoid unnecessary pain for children and save parents and the healthcare system money.”
The charity will roll out its first ever oral health workshops which are tailored to children aged 0-3 year, 3-6 year and 7+ years Action for Chikdren services. The workshops and take-home packs are endorsed by the Oral Health Foundation and funded through Wrigley’s Extra® Smile BackTM project, a major campaign that took place this summer during which a donation to Action for Children was made, for every pack of Extra® sugarfree gum sold in the UK.
For tips on how to get children into a brushing routine visit www.actionforchildren.org.uk/smile.
