The tooth hurts: One third of Aussie kids are not brushing their teeth every day - and dentists warn a lifetime of painful tooth decay may lie ahead
- New research says tooth decay and extraction in Australian children is rising
- Royal Children's Hospital Poll says 1 in 3 preschoolers have never seen a dentist
- One in ten children have had decayed teeth pulled out before the age of nine
- Early childhood poor oral hygiene habits leads to lifetime of painful tooth decay
- One in four children shown to drink sugary drinks most days a week
Alarming new research has shown one in three Australian children do not brush their teeth the recommended twice a day and one in ten have had at least one decayed tooth pulled out before they turn nine years old.
One in three preschoolers have never seen a dentist, according to Royal Children's Hospital National Child Health Poll, released on Wednesday.
Paediatrician Dr Anthea Rhodes at the Royal Children's Hospital says the results show poor oral hygiene habits are being learnt from an early age and this is setting kids up for a lifetime of painful tooth decay.
One in three Australian children do not brush their teeth the recommended twice a day
'We know that in Australia that tooth decay in children is on the rise and it's in fact the most common cause of preventable hospital stay in children under 15, so we did expect that there might be some worrying findings but what we didn't anticipate was just how poor the habits are in many homes across Australia when it comes to looking after kids' teeth,' Dr Rhodes said.
The poll of 2,000 parents, representing 4,000 children, was conducted in January to provide information on what parents understand about oral health.
Dr Rhodes says what they've uncovered is widespread confusion and a need for better education.
New research has shown one in three Australian children do not brush their teeth the recommended twice a day and one in ten have had at least one decayed tooth pulled out before they turn nine years old (stock image)
The majority of parents were not aware that a child's first dental check-up should occur at around 12 months of age, while almost half (48 per cent) of parents did not know that tap water, which contains fluoride, is better than bottle water when it comes to protecting teeth.
Most of the confusion among parents was in regard to caring for the teeth of infants, said Dr Rhodes.
'Lots of parents didn't think that baby teeth needed to be brushed in the same way that older kids need their teeth brushed and weren't aware that things like putting a baby to bed with a bottle at night is strongly linked to tooth decay,' she said.
One in three preschoolers have never seen a dentist, according to Royal Children's Hospital National Child Health Poll, released on Wednesday (stock image)
The poll also showed that despite 85 per cent of parents knowing fruit juice is a sugary drink that can cause tooth decay, one in four children drank sugary drinks most days a week.
Half of all hospital visits for tooth decay in Queensland are for children up to nine years old.
Australian Dental Association Queensland chief executive Ian Meyers stresses tooth decay is a preventable 'diet and lifestyle disease' often caused by high sugar intake, the Courier Mail reported.
Decay in baby teeth can have long term consequences as they form the structure for the shape of the jaw, Professor Meyers said.
'If those teeth get very bad decay or have to be extracted very early on, it can change the whole development of that child's teeth, and it increases the need for possible orthodontic treatment as they get older.'
Over the last three financial years. public and private hospitals treated cavities more than 6000 times annually, according to Queensland Health data.
This child's teeth (pictured) have been eroded away by drinking sugary drinks on a regular basis. The Royal Children's Hospital National Child Health Poll said one in four children drank sugary drinks most days a week
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