parental awareness in paediatric dentistry

Oral health in children plays a vital role as it lays down the foundation for healthy adult teeth. Maintenance of oral hygiene should start before the first tooth erupts, and parents play a very important role in influencing their children’s oral health.

PARENTAL ATTITUDE TOWARDS CHILD’S ORAL HEALTH

The parents with proper oral health knowledge and attitude are likely to positively influence their children’s oral health.

For example, if parents brush twice a day in front of their children they will be spontaneously encouraged to brush twice daily.

PARENTS IGNORANCE

Most of the parents are unaware of the consequences of the dental issues of their child that is ignored commonly.

Children with poor oral hygiene develop early childhood caries which is the most serious and expensive ill health condition if ignored.

WHY THEY IGNORING?

Parents usually have a thought that the baby teeth with caries will anyways fall and new teeth will erupt. They are unaware of the causes, the preventive care and treatments of early childhood caries and consequences if left untreated and their child’s health becomes compromised at the end.

Not only with regards to early childhood caries, but children are also developing misaligned teeth and improper placement of jaws in their later years of age due to ignorance in childhood. Most of the teens are having a lack of confidence and facing lots of struggles due to poor dental esthetic appearances as it becomes late for treatment at that stage.

When parents really concern and rush to a hospital if their children suffer from flu and other medical illness, this is to bring awareness among them that the dental issues can also be a major cause for compromised medical conditions.

A parent’s knowledge about their kid’s oral health and its importance and awareness are present but are insufficient.

Your child’s oral health is the basic foundation of his/her overall good health!!!