Do parents really still not understand this message?

This study assessed children's intake of sweet substances and their caries risk using two different tools – the Caries-risk Assessment (CAT) and the Paediatric Risk Assessment Tool (PRAT). The parents of 266 children attending the Royal Dental Hospital in Melbourne completed the PRAT questionnaire, and a sub-group of 100 went on to complete a full CAT examination and assessment. A surprisingly high level of disease risk and dental neglect was discovered which is considered extensively in the paper. The ease and advantage of using these assessment tools is discussed and their use encouraged in all groups of children, not just those thought to be at risk. I would hope that all dentists involved in the treatment of children's teeth will be aware of these valuable screening tools and use them in their education of both patients and parents.

One of the first postgraduate dental courses I attended after graduation was Dexter and Hammerstein's Prevention Roadshow, some 40 years ago. I cannot believe that, apart from the value of PRAT and CAT in assessing children's caries risk, the other two conclusions of this paper are: 1) Noting that observed caries was associated significantly with suboptimal fluoride exposure, evening sweet drinks, frequency of treats, and frequency of sweet drinks plus sweet treats in the last 24 hours, the cariogenic risks of these intakes must be emphasized to parents; and 2) All parents, and particularly those of children assessed at high risk from intakes of sweet drinks and sweet treats, suboptimal fluoride exposure, or enamel demineralization, must be encouraged to obtain regular dental care for their children.