Media Release:

Australian Dental Association launches campaign to prevent tooth decay in babies and toddlers

In an effort to raise awareness about the factors contributing to Early Childhood Caries (ECC), the Australian Dental Association (ADA) is launching a community health initiative to assist parents and carers of babies and toddlers on preventative oral care.

Research has found that the state of a mother's oral health can have an influence on the future oral health of her newborn.

Findings from numerous overseas studies¹ show how particular bacteria, Streptococcus mutans, which is linked to dental decay, can be transferred from a parent's mouth to the mouth of their baby, which in turn can predispose the baby to dental decay.

In recent years, data² has also shown an increase in the incidence of decay that effect primary or baby teeth.

Research from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (The Child Dental Health Surveys 1997, 1998, 1999, 2002) has shown a steady increase in decayed, missing or filled teeth in 4 year olds. While Australian children enjoy good oral health overall, and dental decay rates have improved since the introduction of water fluoridation in the '60s, dietary factors such as increased frequency of consumption of sugary foods and drinks, drinking less fluoridated tap water and poorer oral hygiene habits, have contributed to the increase.

Early childhood caries can have a significant impact on a young child's overall health. ECC is linked to symptoms such as pain, infection, abscesses, gastrointestinal disorders, malnutrition and retarded growth due to loss of appetite.³ As such, preventative measures from an early age contribute significantly in helping to prevent ECC.

While a baby's first dental visit should be scheduled within six months of the appearance of the first tooth, Australian research on pre-school children in South Australia showed that only 2.2% of the children had seen a dentist by 2 years of age and only 10.7% had seen a dentist by 3 years of age.⁴

The ADA's initiative will include three fact sheets that deal with all aspects of oral health for babies and toddlers, which will be available for the community to download from the ADA by visiting www.babyteeth.com.au. The ADA will also be offering maternal and child health care services and hospitals the opportunity to request a set of the fact sheets.

The fact sheets include information such as:

• How to minimise the transfer of bacteria that can cause dental decay
• When to start cleaning your baby's gums and brushing their teeth
• The role that diet plays in good oral health
• The importance of a preventative dental check for babies and toddlers

The ADA is also launching a website, www.babyteeth.com.au where fact sheets and information can be downloaded.

Also see the following fact sheets from the Australian Dental Association Inc. on the Mum Zone site:

• Healthy eating equals healthy teeth
• Tooth development in babies and toddlers
• Oral hygiene for babies and toddlers

References:

1. Fujiwara, T., E. Sasada, N. Mima, and T. Ooshima. 1991. Caries prevalence and salivary mutans streptococci in 0-2-year-old children of Japan. Community Dent. Oral Epidemiol. 19:151-154
2. Grindefjord, M., G. Dahllöf, S. Winkner, B. Höjer, and T. Modéer. 1991. Prevalence of mutans streptococci in one-year-old children. Oral Microbiol. Immunol. 6:280-283
3. Caufield, P. W., G. R. Cutter, and A. P. Dasanayake. 1993. Initial acquisition of mutans streptococci by infants: evidence for a discrete window of infectivity. J. Dent. Res. 72:37-45
4. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. A Picture of Australia's Children 2009, 2009
5. Acs G, Shulman R, Ng MW, Chussid S. The effect of dental rehabilitation on the body weight of children with early childhood caries. Pediatr Dent 1999;21:109-13.
6. PlutzerK, Spencer AJ. Efficacy of an oral health promotion intervention in the prevention of early childhood caries. Community Dental Oral Epidemiol 2007;2

Mum Zone Release Date: 1st December 2009

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