A new report says 36 per cent of Nova Scotia children have cavities by the age of six due in part to a lack of proper dental care and early checkups.
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The study on oral health by Nova Scotia’s dentists also says that there are currently 500 children waiting for consultation or treatment of a dental issue at the IWK children’s hospital. The report details that 25 to 30 per cent of all surgical time in the operating room at the IWK is dedicated to treating dental disease.
The Nova Scotia Dental Association’s annual report card is urging caregivers to begin using an infant toothbrush when their first tooth grows in, and assist the child with flossing.
The association is also calling for the application of fluoride, and recommends a moratorium on municipalities removing fluoride from drinking water.
“2.26 million school days are missed each year due to dental related illnesses or emergencies in Canada,” said Dr. Jeff Bonang, president of the Nova Scotia Dental Association (NSDA) and a practicing family dentist, in a release from the NSDA.
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The dentists’ key finding is to encourage families to establish tooth brushing and flossing times and have a preventative first visit to the dentist by age one or within six months of the emergence of a first tooth.
The association represents over 500 member dentists in the province.
—With files from Alexander Quon, Global News
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