Australia - Decaying standards in kids' teeth
Decaying standards in kids' teeth
CATHY SAUNDERS, The West Australian
January 19, 2012, 8:09 am
The link between infant diet, tooth health and obesity is under the microscope at a time when one in 10 children aged five have more than seven rotting teeth.
A joint Australian and US study by researchers will follow 1035 infants from birth to the age of three to examine the tie between early childhood feeding (including breastfeeding and food and beverage intake), obesity and dental health.
The study has been prompted partly by the fact that key messages for parents on how to ensure their children have healthy, white teeth are not sinking in.
Lead researcher Amit Arora, lecturer in oral health at Sydney University's Faculty of Dentistry, said the Child Dental Health Survey of Australia in 1996 found at least 40 per cent of six-year-olds had dental decay.
By the time the survey was repeated in 2002, the severity of the problem had increased and 45 per cent of five-year-olds had one or more decayed or missing teeth and 10 per cent had more than seven decayed teeth.
Children from disadvantaged areas had a higher incidence of decay. Moreover, a NSW child health survey in 2007 found about 40 per cent of five to six-year-olds had up to five decayed or missing teeth.
"That is a big burden when there are only 20 teeth in a baby's mouth," Dr Arora said.
It was assumed that breastfeeding was protective for an infant's teeth but the study, "Infant feeding including breastfeeding, and early childhood food and beverage intake: relationships with early childhood caries and obesity", would examine the assumption, he said.
To date, the infants have been followed from birth to 18 months. New funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council will enable them to continue to be followed for the next two years. They will undergo a dental examination at the age of three years, when they have all their baby teeth.
"The message that needs to go across to mums is that they should not be putting the baby to bed with a bottle of formula because the formula pools around the baby's teeth and that's when the decay process starts," Dr Arora said.
The study also showed most mothers started their infants on solid food by four to 4 1/2 months of age, beginning with baby cereals and canned fruits and vegetables and later introducing other foods.
"Further, some mums have introduced foods with sugar such as lollies and chocolates before the age of one year," he said.
They also fed them sugary drinks and cordials.
"So that message needs to go across to the mums too, not to give their babies sugary foods."
Some parents were also brushing their infant's teeth too late after the baby teeth erupted.
Dr Arora said diet and poor oral hygiene meant some children were having their teeth removed at a very young age. NSW statistics reveal the number of children under the age of five years admitted to hospital for tooth extraction because of dental decay rose by 90 per cent between 1989 and 2007. The annual cost of the hospital treatment alone in NSW is $3.5 million.
How long has NSW had water fluoridation?
Fluoride has been added to most water supplies in NSW, commencing with Yass in 1956.
In NSW alone there are more than 50 years of experience proving the effectiveness and safety of water fluoridation.
Most Australians have had water fluoridation for 25-50 years. NSW has one of the highest levels of water fluoridation (approximately 95% of the population has access to fluoridated water).
Shows fluoride in the water does not work. It does give children fluorosis and perhaps many other less than delightful side effects in the long term.
CATHY SAUNDERS, The West Australian
January 19, 2012, 8:09 am
The link between infant diet, tooth health and obesity is under the microscope at a time when one in 10 children aged five have more than seven rotting teeth.
A joint Australian and US study by researchers will follow 1035 infants from birth to the age of three to examine the tie between early childhood feeding (including breastfeeding and food and beverage intake), obesity and dental health.
The study has been prompted partly by the fact that key messages for parents on how to ensure their children have healthy, white teeth are not sinking in.
Lead researcher Amit Arora, lecturer in oral health at Sydney University's Faculty of Dentistry, said the Child Dental Health Survey of Australia in 1996 found at least 40 per cent of six-year-olds had dental decay.
By the time the survey was repeated in 2002, the severity of the problem had increased and 45 per cent of five-year-olds had one or more decayed or missing teeth and 10 per cent had more than seven decayed teeth.
Children from disadvantaged areas had a higher incidence of decay. Moreover, a NSW child health survey in 2007 found about 40 per cent of five to six-year-olds had up to five decayed or missing teeth.
"That is a big burden when there are only 20 teeth in a baby's mouth," Dr Arora said.
It was assumed that breastfeeding was protective for an infant's teeth but the study, "Infant feeding including breastfeeding, and early childhood food and beverage intake: relationships with early childhood caries and obesity", would examine the assumption, he said.
To date, the infants have been followed from birth to 18 months. New funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council will enable them to continue to be followed for the next two years. They will undergo a dental examination at the age of three years, when they have all their baby teeth.
"The message that needs to go across to mums is that they should not be putting the baby to bed with a bottle of formula because the formula pools around the baby's teeth and that's when the decay process starts," Dr Arora said.
The study also showed most mothers started their infants on solid food by four to 4 1/2 months of age, beginning with baby cereals and canned fruits and vegetables and later introducing other foods.
"Further, some mums have introduced foods with sugar such as lollies and chocolates before the age of one year," he said.
They also fed them sugary drinks and cordials.
"So that message needs to go across to the mums too, not to give their babies sugary foods."
Some parents were also brushing their infant's teeth too late after the baby teeth erupted.
Dr Arora said diet and poor oral hygiene meant some children were having their teeth removed at a very young age. NSW statistics reveal the number of children under the age of five years admitted to hospital for tooth extraction because of dental decay rose by 90 per cent between 1989 and 2007. The annual cost of the hospital treatment alone in NSW is $3.5 million.
How long has NSW had water fluoridation?
Fluoride has been added to most water supplies in NSW, commencing with Yass in 1956.
In NSW alone there are more than 50 years of experience proving the effectiveness and safety of water fluoridation.
Most Australians have had water fluoridation for 25-50 years. NSW has one of the highest levels of water fluoridation (approximately 95% of the population has access to fluoridated water).
Shows fluoride in the water does not work. It does give children fluorosis and perhaps many other less than delightful side effects in the long term.
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