| dc.description.abstract | In the past the dental health of children has been largely neglected,
and not much attempt has been made to involve parents on the importance of
caring for their children's teeth. With the result, dental problems begin
in the early years of life and then become a greater problem as the children
grow.
The two common dental diseases which affect these children are dental
decay or caries, and periodontal disease. However, the disease which poses the
greatest challenge among children is dental decay, which is the primary cause
of children losing their teeth. Studies have been done among children of
this age to determine the extent of these diseases. The results of these
studies have shown, that these dental diseases are becoming a major problem.
In the second chapter the causes of both these diseases, as well as
their prevention will be discussed. Pre-school children are at an age at
which their lifestyle is totally dependent and controlled by their parents
and the third chapter deals with the way that parents can influence the childs
dental health behaviour. Chapter Four outlines a dental health programme
for pre-school children, involving parents, teachers, as well as pre-school
children, and Chapter Five describes a pilot project and its results. | en_US |
