66 HEALTH MATTERS
IT’S BEEN PROVEN TO ME
dentAl heAlth
INSTANT
A new, evidence-based guideline on the prevention of tooth decay
secondary and social care services into
in children has been launched.
dental services; Children to be offered a
dental assessment during their first year in RELIEF
primary school;
tooth decAy
• A formal caries risk assessment to be done
FROM SENSITIVE TEETH
for children attending the dental clinic for
dental assessment or emergency care,
and that the Caries Risk Assessment
in children
Checklist is integrated into the electronic
patient record.
Professor Helen Whelton (UCC) who led
the project guideline team says, “These
guidelines were drawn up in consultation with
groups such as the Public Health Nurses
A
comprehensive, evidence-based know that this is too late to effectively prevent because we recognised that participation of
guideline on the prevention of dental decay. “Children have contact with a range front line primary care staff is a necessary
caries (tooth decay) in Irish children of health professionals such as public health and cost effective way of identifying at-risk
was launched in September by Catherine nurses, practice nurses and GPs long before preschool children, and getting them into
Murphy, Assistant National Director of Health they have access to dental services. In the care quickly. “We wanted the guidelines
Promotion. The guideline was developed as context of our current health care system, the to be practical, to use the existing health
part of the Irish Oral Health Services Guideline most practical way to develop needs-based care services and to take a patient-centred
Initiative, a collaborative project funded by access to dental services, particularly for approach. This guideline offers an efficient
the Health Research Board and involving preschool children, is to involve non-dental framework for early identification and
the Oral Health Services Research Centre, health professionals in the identification and effective treatment of children who need
Cork, the HSE dental service and the UK referral of high caries risk children.” dental services. We are confident that it will
Cochrane Centre. For dentists, a Caries Risk Assessment receive the support it needs to translate
Tooth decay is the single most common Checklist (CRAC) has been developed these evidence-based recommendations into
chronic disease in Irish children. More than specifically for use with Irish children, to practice, which will improve the oral health of
half of five-year-olds living in areas with non- help guide dentists’ treatment and recall children in Ireland.”
fluoridated water, and one in three living in decisions. The recommendations in these The guideline is available at http://ohsrc.
fluoridated areas have one or more teeth guidelines include: ucc.ie/html/guidelines.html. Print copies of
that are decayed, filled or are extracted • An oral assessment to be incorporated into the guideline are available on request from the
because of decay. Half of all 12-year-olds each child's developmental visit from the Oral Health Services Research Centre, Cork
and three quarters of all 15-year-olds have age of eight months and recorded in the (e-mail: c.parnell@ucc.ie).
experienced decay in their permanent teeth. child's health record;
The aim of the guideline is to improve the • Referral pathways to be developed
+ Below: Fintan Hourihan, CEO, Irish Dental Association;
Bill DeVizio,
oral health of Irish children through preventive to ensure pre-school children at risk from
Teresa Maguire, Health Research Board; Professor Helen
VP Clinical Dental Research Colgate-Palmolive
Whelton, Oral Health Services Research Centre, Cork and
strategies directed at the entire population, at tooth decay can be referred from primary, Catherine Murphy at the guideline launch.
high caries risk subgroups and at high caries
risk individuals.
“Supported by HRB funding, we
systematically reviewed the best international
research on prevention of tooth decay in
children, and examined relevant guidelines
developed in other countries,” says Carmel
Parnell, the lead researcher and a Senior
Dental Surgeon in the HSE. “This evidence
was then considered by our multidisciplinary
Guideline Development Group, in the context
of the Irish health service and the limited
existing public dental services.”
Historically, the public dental service
has focused on school-aged children and
NOW PROVE IT TO YOURSELF!
preventing decay in permanent teeth, but we
For more information on how to get instant relief, go to colgatesensitiveprorelief.com
health matters is 4.indd 66 27/11/2009 20:48:13
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