Parents think it's tougher to get their kids to brush their teeth than to eat their vegetables, according to a new survey.
Nearly half (45%) of the 1,300 parents who participated in the survey believed getting their kids to brush their teeth is one of the most challenging things to do, according to the findings released by Delta Dental. Getting kids to eat their vegetables regularly was slightly behind at 42%, followed closely by getting help with household chores and getting kids to floss regularly, both at 41%.
"At some point, most parents will struggle with getting their children to brush and floss. Until they are a little older, it's hard for kids to understand the importance of oral health," stated Bill Kohn, DDS, Delta Dental Plans Association's vice president of dental science and policy, in a press release. "If parents make sure children's teeth are brushed and flossed from a very young age, it becomes part of the routine without question."
The survey also found the following:
- Most parents think their children's oral health isn't as good as it could be, because they don't brush (52%) or floss (38%) often enough.
- 32% of parents admit their children's teeth are brushed just once a day or less often.
- 61% of parents report their child's teeth are flossed less often than once a day.
