Parents suffering dentophobia are putting their child’s oral health at risk, as thousands of young Australians end up in hospital for tooth decay.
For Sally-Anne Blandshard, it was a bad reaction following a standard wisdom teeth removal procedure that sparked her dread towards visiting the dentist.
While the procedure happened during her teenage years, Ms Blandshard’s fear, also known as dentophobia, persisted into adulthood.
It was only when it was time for her two children to visit the dentist that the Brisbane mother knew she had to overcome her apprehension.
Ms Blandshard’s experience is one half of all Australian adults share, with a quarter admitting they haven’t booked a consultation with their dentist since their “bad experience”.
This fear is then passed onto their children, contributing to an intergenerational spiral of anxiety around oral health.
New research by oral care brand Grin Natural found that due to a lack of education regarding dental care, 40 per cent of Australian parents didn’t know what to look out for when it comes to checking their children’s teeth.
Additionally, the data revealed almost one in three children under the age of 10 had developed a cavity, with an additional 36 per cent of parents unsure about how a cavity develops.
It’s because of this lack of education that more than 26,000 children under the age of 15 are admitted to hospital for tooth decay treatment every year.
Oral Health Therapist Emma Cubis says it’s the idea that their child will share their same “nightmare” dentist experience, the cost of treatment and potential pain felt that’s preventing parents from booking an appointment.
“Parents need not be fearful of taking their kids to the dentist,” Ms Cubis told news.com.au.
“Neglecting a child’s oral health has severe repercussions for them later in life as they are more likely to experience problems with their teeth as an adult.”
Ms Cubis recommends introducing children to the dentist from as young as two years old, where activities such as counting teeth and a “ride” in the dentist share are offered to instil the memory of a fun experience.
It’s also a good opportunity for the dentist to assess the child for any tooth or gum issues as well as educate parents on how to properly look after their child’s teeth as they develop.
“I know it can be a huge step to make a phone call to book a dental appointment so just know that we understand attending is a huge step and we always aim to make the appointment as comfortable as we can knowing this,” Ms Cubis said.
“Let your dental provider know what makes you anxious as this helps us help you. Let us know any particular triggers so we can minimise these for you during your appointment.”
Bedside manner has also come a long way, Ms Cubis said, with dentists offering a number of techniques to help calm all young patients.
This includes “goodie bags” consisting of a new toothbrush, floss and toothpaste and breaking down dental terminology into easy to comprehend language like the term “tooth counter” for the dental probe.
“Especially if it’s the child’s first dental check-up and in the early stage of building trust, we are careful not to push a child past their comfort zone,” Ms Cubis said.
“This may look like sitting in their parent’s lap if they do not want to sit in the dental chair on their own or simply looking instead of using the dental probe and mirror. We can also refer to specialist paediatric dentists who are highly trained in caring for young children.”
Sally-Anne Blandshard’s fear of the dentist has eased since taking her children to check-ups as she has seen first hand how far the dental experience has progressed.
Another motivator which helped the mother of two return to the dentist chair was the idea of the perfect smile and giving her children the best health care.
“There’s nothing worse than your fear being magnified through their tears,” Ms Blandshard said in response to discussing how she got over her fear.
“(It’s important) to just be there. Hold their hand and know that they need you more than your fear needs you.”
Both children and adults are recommended to brush their teeth twice a day and to book in for a dental check-up no less than once a year.
To encourage more Australians to take care of their dental health, former Olympian and mother of six Jana Pittman has teamed up with Grin Natural as an ambassador for their ‘Share a Grin’ campaign.
Until the end of August this year, Grin Natural will donate a toothbrush to a child in need for every one of their products purchased from Chemist Warehouse.
“Being a parent is extremely tough, there is so much to think about and prioritise, but implementing a good oral healthcare routine with your children as young as
possible will set you and your family up for a better future,” Dr Pittman said.
Originally published as Dentophobia haunting millions of Australian adults and leading them to put their own children at unnecessary risk
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