AAPD survey: Few babies see a dentist

2010 05 07 13 36 14 778 2010 05 07 Aapd Survey4

Only 3% of mothers know about recommendations from leading dental and pediatric groups that their children should see a dentist before age 1, a survey by the Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) found.

"Oral health is absolutely critical for overall health," said AAPD President William Berlocher, D.D.S., in a press release. "A recent study in the journal Pediatric Dentistry revealed that children who wait to have their first visit until age 2 or 3 are more likely to require restorative and emergency visits, a scary thing for parents of young children."

The AAPD, ADA, American Academy of Pediatrics, and American Association of Public Health Dentistry all recommend a dental visit in the first year.

Among the other findings reported by the AAPD:

2010 05 07 13 36 14 778 2010 05 07 Aapd Survey4
Few mothers take their children to the dentist by age 1. Chart courtesy of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry.
  • 33% of the mothers surveyed considered oral health a "concern" for their infants.
  • 26% of the mothers surveyed felt that children only need to see a dentist in the case of a serious health problem.
  • 14% of the mothers knew tooth decay in children can lead to the need for a root canal.
  • 75% of the mothers were aware of the specialty of pediatric dentistry.
  • More than half of the mothers have not taken their children to a pediatric dentist.
  • 78% of survey respondents said they would take their children to visit a pediatric dentist before their first birthday if they thought the visit would result in better oral hygiene.
  • 88% of the mothers surveyed said they were concerned about cavities in baby teeth.
  • Less than one-third of the mothers began brushing their children's teeth before the age of 1.

"Parents will be surprised to know that taking children to visit a pediatric dentist by their first birthday actually saves money," Dr. Berlocher said. "Studies show that dental costs for children who have their first dental visit before age 1 are 40% lower in the first five years than for those who do not see a dentist prior to their first birthday."

A total of 400 mothers participated in the survey, which had a margin of error of ±4.9%, according to Jamie Plaxco of the MWW Group, a public relations company representing the AAPD.

Copyright © 2010 DrBicuspid.com

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