There's a deep hole in dental coverage that needs to be filled when it comes to children's teeth, says Dr. Bill Ryding.
The dental officer of health for the local health unit was reacting to a new study, released Tuesday by the Ontario Dental Association (ODA), that said tooth decay is "the most common chronic childhood disease (and) one of the leading causes of absences from school."
The report called on parents and government to take immediate action to remedy the situation and lists 10 recommendations to stop the decay.
Ryding has pushed the province for universal coverage of dental work under OHIP, since many people, particularly the working poor, do not have dental insurance through their employer and cannot afford preventative trips to the dentist.
"No dental insurance is a major hindrance," he said. "(T)hrough OHIP ... you have equal access and that's what it should be in dentistry as well."
There is a preventative and a treatment program for children run by public health, but it is dependent on income, Ryding said.
The ODA, which represents the province's 7,000 dentists, said government should pay attention to the report.
"This report reflects the ODA's concern about a serious childhood disease that received neither the public attention it merits, or the government commitment and investment that is required to bring it under control," the ODA said.
As far back as 2001, Toronto Public Health painted a grim picture of tooth decay in Ontario children.
"Early childhood tooth decay affects six to 10 per cent of all preschoolers," it said in a report. "It is a rapidly progressing disease, often rotting front teeth completely to the gum line within a year.
"In 1994 and 1999, 30 per cent of five-year-old children in Toronto had caries (dental decay), similar (to the rate) in Ontario."
In Hastings and Prince Edward counties, Ryding said 11.4 per cent of junior kindergarten pupils "either had or have active or treated tooth decay. For senior kindergarten, the total is 12.5 per cent."
Most people do not understand that tooth decay is an infectious disease, and like a skin wound, if left untreated it can lead to serious complications, Ryding said.
Bacteria cause the decay and it can be passed to children from parents so they shouldn't share objects like spoons, he said.
Educating parents on the use of fluoride toothpaste is important, but some dentists need educating, too, Ryding said.
For example, old-school dentistry taught the age of three was a good time for a child to see a dentist, but it should be earlier, he said.
"A child should see a dentist (by) their first birthday or when the first tooth erupts -- comes into the mouth," Ryding said.
The ODA report also "urgently" called for the government to help focus on higher-risk children by improving access to publicly- funded programs, application of fluoride varnish, community water fluoridation, a better screening tool for children and provincial promotion of oral health awareness.
The 10 recommendations included wiping the gums of babies gently with a clean wet cloth after feeding, even before the babies have teeth.
Ryding said the best advice he could give to parents is to be aware of what your child eats (sugar is a decay bugaboo) and make sure to brush before saying good night.
"Watch what they eat when snacking and make sure they go to bed at night with teeth that have been cleaned with a fluoride toothpaste," he said.
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