Children of recent immigrants often suffer from poor dental hygiene

SALT LAKE CITY — Twice as many Hispanic children in Utah are likely to have untreated dental cavities than non-Hispanic white children in the state, according to a recent report. The data was released in the Hispanic Dental Association's Fast Facts on Hispanic Oral Health.

"The Latino kids medically are at risk for almost everything because of poor oral hygiene and their diet," said Salt Lake City dentist Eric Anderson.

He attributed much of the cause of dental neglect among Hispanic children of recent immigrants to cultural differences that fail to promote good dental habits.

"Mostly, the parents don't understand the importance of dental care," Anderson said. That lack of understanding results in long-term health concerns for many kids, he added.

"We are seeing an increase in Hispanic children who are in need of major dental work," he said. "If we can prevent these serious dental issues by educating parents and kids, the hospital emergency rooms will save an additional amount of money through these basic prevention steps like brushing, flossing and having regular checkups."

Unfortunately, some people will literally wait until the dental problem becomes unbearable before contacting a physician, and by then the only option is an emergency room type visit, he added.

Anderson said that dental hygiene in some countries is not "a huge priority."

"Unfortunately, a lot of the attitudes … are, 'Well, the teeth will fall out, so why do we need to do anything anyway.' "

Anderson said stressing the importance of good dental hygiene within the immigrant Hispanic community is paramount during a child's early years and helps prevent more serious dental issues "down the road."

According to the Hispanic Dental Association, one of the major national obstacles to seeking treatment is lack of awareness of available services. The study showed there was also a lack of oral health knowledge among Utah Hispanic parents, and language barriers also contribute to the growing problem.

"When a parent cannot fully communicate with dentists, and does not understand how dental hygiene can affect a child's teeth … they have no reason to make it a priority to oversee the child when brushing and teaching good dental health," Anderson said. "We need to encourage all parents to check on their children's teeth and teach them good oral hygiene (beginning at 1 year old)."

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