RESEARCH has found that one in 10 children are unable to brush their own teeth without help when they leave primary school.
The study, conducted by Tic Watches, involved 500 parents and revealed that this essential oral health skill is just one of a number of basic skills that thousands of primary school leavers lack as they head toward their teenage years.
The study unearthed that almost 16 per cent were unable to swim, 8 per cent unable to dress themselves, 10 per cent of boys and 16 per cent of girls were unable to ride a bike, while 10 per cent of children were unable to read full sentences and tell the time. In the same vein, 8 per cent of children don’t know the alphabet by the age 11-12.
“Learning to brush our teeth should be one of the first life skills we learn as youngsters and carry forward with us as we grow older," Dr Nigel Carter, CEO of the Oral Health Foundation, said.
“It is never too early to learn about the importance of good oral health and all aspects of how to achieve a good hygiene.
The research also highlighted that girls are slipping behind the boys, with one in seven (15 per cent) of girls leaving primary school unable to brush their teeth without help, compared to just 4 per cent of boys.
“Parents and teachers have an important role to play in educating children from an early age on the importance of maintaining good oral health, but they need support from government,” Dr Carter said.
Make brushing fun with your children. If there’s stress around it, children are going to be put off. Ideally try gentle encouragement and a twice daily brushing routine from when the first tooth erupts.
Remember, for very young children, focus on getting the toothbrush in without force. If the teeth aren’t totally spotless don’t worry – good technique can be encouraged with time.
No matter how tired everyone is try to follow up on the night-time brushing every night. This will pay off in abundance when the children’s teeth are healthy and not hurting.
