Keep Kids’ Teeth Clean 2017

Join us as we put kids’ teeth first in our new initiative for 2017 – Keep Kids’ Teeth Clean – and help improve understanding around child oral health

If there’s one subject that gets people talking, it’s children’s health.

And while the issue of kids’ oral health in Ireland may be met with difficulty, it’s a topic that comes up time and time again, one that a huge number of dentists and dental professionals feel passionate about and are working hard to improve.

There are countless statistics surrounding the impact poor oral health can have for children in the long term on healthy, permanent teeth. Last year’s RCSI Faculty of Dentistry Annual Meeting, titled ‘Small Beginnings, Big Outcomes’, shone a light on this area of healthcare: the average age of a child’s first dental visit in Ireland can be seven years too late. By the time a child goes for their visit dental check-up, there may be substantial decay and damage done to their teeth.

We’re asking you, our readers, to join us

That’s why we’re focusing on child oral health this year in our initiative: Keep Kids’ Teeth Clean. Throughout 2017, we’ll be sharing practical tips and advice from leading paediatric dentists, periodontists, hygienists and members of the trade on how to encourage children, parents, teachers and caregivers to embrace oral health early and help maintain healthy teeth for life.

We’re asking you, our readers, to join us. How can we improve the education about oral health in schools? How can we better parents’ understanding that a healthy mouth leads to a healthy life? Are we doing enough? Should we be doing more?

It can be hard to convince kids to do something they don’t want to do, like brushing their teeth twice a day, but by honing in on the best possible ways to encourage young patients to engage in their oral health, perhaps we can go some way to helping you help them.

Over to you

To get the profession talking, Keep Kids’ Teeth Clean will be a chance for you to share your experience in child oral healthcare and learn from others. Wherever you see our bright logo, you can be sure that there is someone doing their bit to save kids’ teeth right alongside you.

So we want to know how you’re doing your bit to keep kids’ teeth clean. Are you part of an oral health prevention programme in your area? Do you run a child-friendly practice with unique approaches to treating kids? Perhaps you work alongside an unsung hero, a dentist who goes above and beyond the call of duty to make sure young patients get the treatment they deserve.

Wherever you see our bright logo, you can be sure that there is someone doing their bit to save kids’ teeth right alongside you

Maybe you have ideas and want to reach out to other members of the profession, offer advice or share your experiences – this is your platform to use as you please.You can call us, write to us, or tweet us using the hashtag #keepkidsteethclean. We want to make your voice count.

Let’s make oral health fun, easy and free of decay. Let’s keep kids’ teeth clean.

Are you doing your part to improve child oral health? We want to hear from you! To join our campaign and share your experience, call us on +44 (0)1923 851753, write to us at carlotta@irishdentist.ie, or tweet us using the hashtag #keepkidsteethclean @IrishDentistry.

References
Whelton H, O’Mullane D, Harding M, Guiney H, Cronin M, Flannery E, Kelleher V (2006) North South Survey of Children’s Oral Health in Ireland, 2002. Brunswick Press Ltd