Parents in the U.S. rank among the least likely to limit their children's sugar intake and take them for their annual dental checkup, according to a YouGov survey of 10 countries commissioned by the FDI World Dental Federation.
The survey results revealed that an average of 38% of parents across the globe proactively restrict their children's sugary food and drink intake, ranging from 52% in the U.K. to 30% in Argentina. U.S. parents ranked second to last among the 10 countries at 32%.
Overall, less than half of parents take their child to the dentist for a checkup at least once a year, with only 41% of parents in the U.S. doing so.
"Oral disease is a big part of a largely preventable disease burden, and these survey results demonstrate that we're just not doing enough to avoid oral health problems at an early age," FDI President Gerhard Seeberger, DDS, said in a statement.
