Many parents not getting advice on when to start dental visits for their kids
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* Tiggi Jalloh

Parents are not receiving enough guidance on when to begin dental visits for their children, which can lead to poorer oral health.

More than half of parents do not receive guidance from their child’s doctor on when they should start taking their child to the dentist, according to the University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health published online Feb. 19.

Conducted in November for C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital, the poll involved 790 parents who had at least one child 5 years old or younger.

The poll showed only about 45 percent of parents get advice on when to start from doctors or dentists. Parents who were less likely to receive guidance were low income, less educated and did not have private dental insurance. As a result, low-income kids are more likely to have tooth decay, a Mott report on the poll said.

Kids should start getting regular dental checkups when baby teeth come in, around 1 year of age, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Dental Association.

A doctor or dentist’s guidance can impact how early parents take their child to the dentist, the report showed. Ninety-four percent of parents start taking their children at 3 years or younger if prompted by doctor or dentist, the poll showed.

About 14 percent of parents took advice from friends and family rather than a medical professional, according to the poll. Eighty-three percent of kids overall see a dentist by age 3, but just 17 percent see a dentist at age 4 or older if parents rely only on advice from family and friends. One in 6 parents believed that their children should start seeing the dentist at age 4 or older.

According to the report, educating parents on the importance of their child’s oral health and hygiene helps to prevent tooth decay. Making regular visits to the dentist throughout early childhood increases the possibility of detecting and treating tooth decay and other oral health issues before they develop into a more serious problem.

When physicians take the time to educate parents, it can set their children up for success, as they are able to learn more about the effects of sugary drinks and brushing techniques.

“Visiting the dentist at an early stage is an essential part of children’s health care,” said Sarah Clark, Mott Poll co-director, in a Feb. 19 news release. “These visits are important for the detection and treatment of early childhood tooth decay and also a valuable opportunity to educate parents on key aspects of oral health.”

Clark said that it is important for health care providers to emphasize the importance of dental visits, especially those that care for at-risk populations. Parents should also be able to ask about how to keep their child’s teeth healthy.

For more information, visit [www.mottpoll.org](http://www.mottpoll.org).

*   Copyright The Nation’s Health, American Public Health Association