Parents Say Flossing is Most Difficult Oral Care Habit to Enforce

Majority of parents disclose their child has oral health issues

OAK BROOK, Ill., July 24, 2018 /PRNewswire/ —Parenting can sometimes feel like an uphill marathon, particularly when it comes to enforcing proper oral care habits with your child. According to a recent national survey from Delta Dental, parents are more likely to say getting their child to floss regularly (45%) or brush their teeth (37%) is challenging than they are about getting their child to make the bed (30%) or to complete homework on time (25%).

Delta Dental’s Children’s Oral Health Survey indicates that many of our nation’s offspring are not following recommended guidelines of brushing their teeth for 2 minutes twice daily and flossing once a day, potentially leading to oral health problems. The majority of parents (78%) confess that their child’s oral health isn’t as good as it could be, with 64% disclosing that their child currently has oral health issues, including caries (31%).

The  survey reveals that parents worry more about their child’s oral health (39%) on a daily basis than they do about school performance (25%) or physical activity (24%). In fact, parents are more likely to say their child’s oral health (73%) is extremely important than they are about their youngster’s diet or nutrition (66% and even their own oral health (61%).

Joe Dill, DDS, MBA, Delta Dental Plans Association’s vice president of dental science recommends scheduling regular dental check-ups as a part of a child’s preventive oral health routine to protect against missing school during the academic year for unplanned visits to the dentist’s chair. According to the Delta Dental survey, 29% of parents whose child is in school say that their daughter or son has missed at least some school in the past 12 months because of an oral health issue.

Parents can help keep their child’s oral health on track with the free Delta Dental Mobile app featuring a toothbrush timer, available for download in the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store for Android devices.