Rare visits to the dentist lead to significantly more distance from teeth in children

With more and more young children, teeth must be removed by doctors
More and more infants have their teeth pulled because their parents do not bring them to a dentist in time. The reason for this is that parents think their children too young to visit a dentist, and many parents are not really worried about the baby teeth of their children because they will later be replaced by permanent teeth.

Researchers at the Royal College of Surgeons found that many UK children had to have their teeth removed when they were one or two years old because parents did not get them to the dentist early. The experts published a press release on the results of their study.

Today, there are more and more small children, who already have enormous health problems with their teeth at a young age. As a result, more and more infants and toddlers need teeth removal. (Image: ia_64 / fotolia.com)

About 80 percent of toddlers in England were not with a dentist last year
More and more young children need to have their teeth removed because they will not be promptly presented with a toothache or similar problems with a dentist. The numbers show that in England alone, about 80 percent of toddlers last year were not with a dentist, say the authors of the study. The dental care of children of this age is free in England. The figures also show that 60 percent of children between the ages of one and four did not have a dental exam during the same period.

Children should take their teeth care seriously at an early age
There are widespread misconceptions among parents about when they should visit a dentist with their infants for the first time. In addition, many parents are not really worried about the baby teeth of their children because they will later be replaced by permanent teeth, the scientists explain. However, it is important that children take the care of their teeth seriously at an early stage. Otherwise, the chances are that these children will neglect the care of their permanent teeth.

From the age of six months, children should visit the dentist
Early dental visits not only protect the teeth of children, they also provide less fear of visiting the dentist, explain the experts. Children and adolescents should undergo regular dental examinations as soon as their first teeth have appeared. In general, the children are at this time at the age of about six months.

Tooth extractions aged up to four years are on the increase
Figures from hospitals in England show that there were 9,220 cases of tooth extractions in children aged one to four years. This represents an increase of 24 percent in just a decade. There were even 48 cases in which the infants were younger than a year. About 90 percent of these cases would be avoidable through better oral hygiene, say the experts.

Children should have easy access to dental care
In a nation that provides free dental care to all people under the age of 18, there should be no excuse for the statistics found, explains Professor Nigel Hunt of the Royal College of Surgeons. Every child should have free and easy access to dental care when the first teeth appear in the mouth, adds the expert.

Early dental visits can protect children from anxiety
The earlier a child visits the dentist, the earlier potential problems can be treated. This makes it easier to prevent children from having to undergo trauma when their teeth need to be removed with the help of anesthesia, explains Professor Hunt.

Follow this advice for healthy teeth
Many of the most common dental issues would be easily avoided if important dental care advice is followed. Such advice includes, for example, brushing the teeth with fluoride toothpaste at least twice a day and avoiding the consumption of sugary drinks and snacks. (As)