Toothpaste brand says 'parents are not being the best possible examples', thanks to the pandemic

New global research, released to coincide with World Oral Health Day on 20 March 2021, has revealed that parents are not being the best possible examples to their children when it comes to oral care, with day and night brushing in the morning and evening emerging as an unlikely casualty of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The research, conducted by toothpaste brand Mentadent P, showed that while lockdowns prompted people across the world to reprioritise their attitudes and behaviours to health and well-being, this positive shift unfortunately did not translate into better oral care, a cornerstone of physical healthcare.

In fact, the opposite occurred; some negative habits have crept in, with good, familiar habits – like brushing twice a day – decreasing among parents and their children. The research highlights that children mirror parents’ behaviours at a detriment to their own health.

Children are seven times more likely to skip brushing if their parent does not brush day and night.

Also see: Time-tested recommendations to help children cope with anxiety 

Some of the shock results included:

• Fewer people are brushing twice a day in comparison to two years ago, with a 5% drop in adults and an 11% drop in children.

• 1 in 4 (26%) children are not brushing their teeth day and night, and 40% of adults have reported going entire days without brushing their teeth.

• Two in every three respondents said they weren’t worried about their oral health.

• The research shows that parents’ poor oral habits have an impact on children, with children seven times more likely to skip teeth brushing if their parent does not brush day and night.

• While nearly three-quarters said they had tooth-related problems during the pandemic, seven of every 10 affected failed to visit the dentist. 

Parents are more relaxed 

Amongst the respondents who reported experiencing oral health issues since the onset of the pandemic, the top five complaints included bleeding gums and teeth during brushing or flossing  (30%); teeth, gum or mouth pain (30%); dry mouth (25%); general bad breath (25%); and trouble eating due to oral pain (21%).

Parents also admitted to being more relaxed with their children’s oral health habits; three in five, or 61%, said they allowed their children to eat sugary foods before going to bed.

One in three, or 35%, confessed to rewarding their children with a promise that they wouldn’t have to brush their teeth.

Concerns have also been raised over long lockdown periods during which only emergency dentistry was permitted, with less access to regular checkups contributing to poor oral hygiene.

Children copy their parents

Prominent Dentist Dr. Bongiwe Nhlangulela, better known as Dr. Bee, prioritises the oral health of her young patients and warns parents of the universal truth – that children copy their parents.

"We know that Covid-19 has significantly disrupted our world in unprecedented ways, but the basics of dental care still apply, pandemic or not. We have to remember that most things in dentistry are preventable, so it’s critical for every one of us – and parents have a particular responsibility – to drive the educational message around prevention, to see these actions applied in our daily lives," she says.

Also see: From disturbed sleeping to difficulty concentrating, here's why you need to get your child moving 

Dr. Bee’s tips for optimal oral health are:

• Brush your teeth day and night, for about two minutes.

• Use a fluoride toothpaste and a soft-bristled toothbrush.

• Hold your toothbrush at a slight angle, aim the bristles towards the area where your teeth meet your gums, and brush gently with circular back-and-forth motions. Don’t brush too hard or you could damage your gums.

• Always rinse your toothbrush with clean water after brushing, then stand it upright to air dry.

• Keep it separate from the toothbrushes of other family members to prevent contamination.

• Daily flossing will help you reach the bacteria in those tight spaces between your teeth and under the gum line, adding an extra layer of oral health care.

• Develop better oral care routines for the family by brushing together, day and night, with your children to help build habits that stick. 

Mentadent P, which conducted the research, is leveraging the findings to raise awareness around the growing oral health concerns, and to encourage families to build healthy brushing habits together, with parents taking the lead as role models for their children.