A nationwide survey of parents released today by Colgate reveals that almost half of all parents are afraid of dentist visits. This widely held fear appears to be impacting how often they take their children to the dentist with only half of parents visiting every six months, and with 18% of parents of four year-olds taking them less than once every 2 years. Of those parents who take their children to the dentist less often, over 1 in 5 claim that it’s their children’s fear of the dentist which stops them from going more frequently.
The survey of 2,000 parents with children aged 1-10 was commissioned to mark the start of Colgate’s Oral Health Month, an annual initiative designed to raise awareness of oral health across the entire country. To better understand the results of the research and what this means for parents, Colgate partnered with Psychologist and Professor of Psychology at the University of Hertfordshire, Dr Karen J Pine. Dr Pine commented, “A fear of the dentist can be easily transmitted to children, who take a lot of their cues from their parents. Parents need to set an example by trying not show anxiety when visiting the dentist and instead projecting a calm and comfortable attitude. Modelling good behaviour and attitudes towards the dentist is how children will ultimately learn that looking after their teeth is good for their health.” The survey also highlighted that children are consuming sugary foods on a regular basis, with a quarter drinking fizzy drinks at least once a day and a third of children eating chocolate every day. This, combined with parent’s fear of the dentist and their uncertainty about the importance of children’s milk teeth, means it is not surprising that by the age of 10, a quarter of children have had at least one filling.Colgate Oral Health Month takes place every September and aims to provide people around the country with useful information to increase awareness, understanding, and positive behaviour towards oral health.