"Some six year olds have never seen a toothbrush"

[SuperGinger]

Just saw an article on the BBC website about this, very sad you need your teeth for the rest of your life and we are failing our children.

Why aren't they investing in children we are storing up so many problems for the future? Especially with poor diets many children have.

Obviously it should be the parent’s responsibility, but I was abused + neglected as a child and I had horrible tooth pain for my whole childhood. I wish there’d been something in school to help me.

As of my mid 20s I have had 6 normal (not wisdom) teeth removed, and have fillings in all but my front 4. All of this is a result of my childhood, and it’ll never end because fillings always need to replaced, and it takes away more tooth. I’ve been on prescription tooth paste for my whole adult life and brush and floss diligently but nothing can solve what could’ve easily been stopped when I was a child.

Personally I agree. She loves them, and they love each other, there's no denying that. And she hasn't had it easy, I feel for her. But the kids are going to have to fight tooth and nail when they're older to sort their lives out. It's not fair on them.

One of the main ways social services can pick up on child neglect is through bad attendance and punctuality at school. Yet there are regular complaints about that on here about how intrusive it is. The vast majority of parents get their children into school and on time nearly every day of the year, so it triggers a concern when a child is frequently late or doesn’t come in. What else is the parent failing to do? Most parents who have children with legitimate issues e.g. anxiety, are in regular contact with the school because they are desperate to get the best solution for their child.

Why aren't they investing in children
Why is it always on someone else to do your parenting for you?

The poor little mite. That's shameful child neglect at best. If I were in your shoes I'd be tempted to report it.
My DS is 20 months old so almost 2 years old and we had a bit of a thing where he'd scream and fight me over brushing his teeth but I made sure it was done twice a day even though it was exhausting.
It paid off, now he expects his teeth brushed at some point in the morning before nap time and last thing at night before bed. He actually takes himself to the bathroom and waits for me sometimes.
It's just beyond me that people are letting a toddler make their own decisions essentially. I'm willing to bet that your GD went through a phase of not wanting her teeth brushed and it's unfortunately led to this.

This is not something that any parent should need guidance or advice on. Toothbrushing is the most basic of hygiene - it's as essential as having regular wash, cleaning hands before food or ensuring that a child wipes its bottom properly! Non-negotiable in my house.

If parents aren't brushing their children's teeth that's a matter for social services I'm afraid. It's neglectful. There's zero excuse. Shouldn't need interventions from school/nursery/anyone to tell them to do it!

I say that as a mum who has an autistic child who, at times, has really struggled to brush teeth due to sensory issues. We've still worked around it always, built a good routine, found a brush/toothpaste that works etc. We have regular (just standard NHS) dental checks, my children each were registered with my (NHS) dentist at 12m old and we've never missed an appointment so never been removed from the list.

I don't want to hear 'it's hard for some people'. Balls. Sometimes raising children is hard, and you can make your own parenting choices on the non-essentials. Good dental hygiene is a health matter, and an essential.

@DaveyJonesLocker it sounds like social services have also failed your cousin in that respect as well.

If your child has no NHS dentist, in order to go private, you do not need to pay monthly fees. I take both mine private (our NHS one retired, couldn’t get in anywhere else) and I just pay if I go and only for what’s needed (nothing since I’ve been doing it).

Also if your child needs major dental work, a private dentist can (I believe) refer you to the children’s dental hospital, which is NHS and free. So you’d have paid only the single appointment fee at the private place.

A single appointment fee is still quite a lot of money though! I don't imagine it's much cheaper for a child than an adult.

weve only just seen our dentist since covid. He had a go at me before I explained it’s been them, we haven’t been able to get in. DD has grown 8 teeth since he saw her last, luckily they are fine.

Our primary used to have a dental practice in it and would see the kids! Not sure when it closed though.

There was a mum at primary who would give the impression of being a ‘good mum’ but just couldn’t be arsed over a lot of things. Teeth included. Her DD had multiple fillings. She missed appointments to get her teeth painted this was the dentists fault for not chasing her (the surgery was next to her house!). They had free rein with sweets and were allowed to eat and drink in bed at night.
They think it’s someone else’s issue to sort. I think parents need sometimes to be told what their basic job is sadly.

The problem is the very low priority the British public puts on preventative measures that would prevent 98% of all dental treatment.

Almost 40% of adults brush their teeth once a week or less www.geo.tv/latest/428794-39-of-british-adults-brush-their-teeth-once-a-week-survey-finds

dental decay is the number one reason for children 6 to 10 needing hospital treatment dentistry.co.uk/2023/02/24/unfair-and-unjust-tooth-extractions-key-reason-for-hospital-admissions-among-young-children/

It's not just brushing teeth , it's cutting down on all forms of sugar , not just sweets pop and biscuits but raisins, smoothies, yoghurt , fruit juice , starchy foods etc . No more than three sugar attacks a day .

The average U.K. child eats 7 times a day , snacking regularly and the majority of these snacks will be sweet/starchy (eg crisps in which starch is quickly converted to sugar) www.laca.co.uk/news/uk-children-are-feasting-junk-food-least-three-times-day-finds-study

By the time they are 5 the average U.K. child has 1.5 teeth decayed missing (taken out) or filled .

Dental decay is almost entirely preventable , but it needs a massive change in eating habits. The rising rates of obesity, diabetes and tooth decay in the U.K. shows that changing the way and what we eat is a very difficult task. We are so conditioned to eat sweet and starchy foods and snacking that we think it's normal and feeling guilty if a child "misses out". But our poor diet is why in developed countries life expectancy is decreasing after decades of improvement. There is a real chance future generations will not live as long because they have , literally, eaten themselves into the grave.

I didn't have a toothbrush until I was 5 or 6. My parents both had false teeth from around 20 so seemingly had no idea I should be brushing mine. It was only when a teacher was checking teeth that I figured out I was meant to brush them!

I think if it's still happening now then it must still be due to lack of education, poverty, stupidity, neglect and all the same reasons people make other poor parenting choices.

Last time I checked it was the parents responsibility to make sure their children carried out dental hygiene. But nowadays, like many things, it's never their fault, someone else always has to take responsibility for grown adults should be doing themselves

Strangely enough my reception aged child has just come out of school today with a toothbrush and toothpaste. We are also in Northumberland. He is the youngest of my 4 children and I've never known this to happen before.

At some point we have to draw a line and say it is the parents responsibility. Food banks, some dentists, some schools and nurseries etc will give parents a free toothbrush and toothpaste for their child, but it's down to parents to brush their children's teeth which they should have been doing since their teeth came through. It's called parenting!

I'm not unsympathetic to those on low incomes but families receive benefits that cover the basics. Sorry to be a skeptic but if I went through the expenditure of one of these families who haven't bought a toothbrush in 6 years, what's the betting there's non essentials on there??? Making bad choices is not the government's fault.

Yes, and I make £3 an hour on overtime after tax, ni and benefits taper. So about 20 hours of overtime to pay for a £60 appointment.

OMG @TheWholeToothNothingButTheTooth that must be extremely frustrating for you, your poor GD.
Are they still her baby teeth? Is she receptive to perhaps learning to remember to brush herself or is she still too young? My 4 y/o has an electric toothbrush that lights up and is his favourite colour (like this one www.amazon.co.uk/Brush-KidzSonic-Toddler-Electric-Toothbrush/dp/B0933HNJ8H/ref=sxts_rp_s_a_1_0?content-id=amzn1.sym.72587283-9008-4288-9d67-6258ec78aaee%3Aamzn1.sym.72587283-9008-4288-9d67-6258ec78aaee&crid=252QXBOBP2EY5&cv_ct_cx=baby%2Belectric%2Btoothbrush&keywords=baby%2Belectric%2Btoothbrush&pd_rd_i=B0933HNJ8H&pd_rd_r=a84dac85-247e-4ea3-840d-68ba78c230b2&pd_rd_w=FJBfs&pd_rd_wg=YA36K&pf_rd_p=72587283-9008-4288-9d67-6258ec78aaee&pf_rd_r=PBRWZCZKJPEBYYC3SQME&qid=1679413736&sbo=RZvfv%2F%2FHxDF%2BO5021pAnSA%3D%3D&sprefix=Bby%2Bele%2Caps%2C110&sr=1-1-30c649cd-33b6-49d1-9f8b-8035bb525ef9&th=1) maybe a birthday present or stocking filler idea for Christmas?

Current prices today

Tesco 2 pack essential toothbrushes 25p
Tesco 4 pack kids toothbrushes £1
Tesco 2 pack pro formula toothbrushes £1

Tesco cavity protect toothpaste 100ml 50p
Tesco kids toothpaste 75ml £1

We are not talking about huge amounts of money. It's a case of can't be bothered

Um I’m sorry but this article states as fact that 39% of adults only brush their teeth once a week, but also that 63% brush 3 times a day 🤣

It’s always worth phoning around and asking. My DS’s private dentist charges £30 per visit for children, whereas all of the others in our area are £60+, which is the adult price.

Dentists fix teeth, they don't brush them fit you daily. I'm not denying we have an access to dentist crisis, BUT parents need to brush their children's teeth morning and night, plus actually make the dentist appointment. I only waited 3 months for a nhs dentist appointment, you put a form in and you get a call when you get to the top of the list - last week by coincidence.

DD was recently referred to community dentistry and the dental hospital by her own dentist. That was because she has SN and is a really nervous patient and needed stubborn baby teeth taken out using "happy air".

Emergency dental referral can be done but it will usually only be when the damage has been done or in cases such as DD's and the child will usually be seeing a dentist anyway. In her case it took 9 months from referral to extraction.

It doesn't really solve the problem of NHS dentistry being in a shambles.

DD is a reluctant tooth brusher and I have to stand over her to ensure she does it. Usually I try to brush mine at the same time. As other pps have said, if parents can't be bothered to supervise their children brushing their teeth then they are unlikely to be concerned about regular check-ups.

Try this then studyfinds.org/british-adults-brush-their-teeth/

In my practice we have adults who do not possess a toothbrush, ones who tell the hygienist they don't brush their teeth because that's what they pay the hygienist for .
Ive had a patient who never took their part dentures out to clean and a tomato seed had sprouted underneath it.
Unfortunately people often believe that health is something that is the professionals responsibility to sort out. The truth in dentistry is 98% of dental treatment is preventable . Eat right and clean effectively with fluoridated toothpaste and the likely hood is that you will never need dental treatment. Whether or not you or your children see a dentist regularly it is the choices made at home that have , by far, the biggest affect on dental health.

The difference in figures is from different age groups

It depends what area your in. My children's primary school sends all children home with toothbrushes and toothpaste every few months. We live in Manchester