Looking back at the parents around us, how do they treat their baby teeth? Whether they are older or younger mothers, have they neglected the dental health of their children? Do you brush your baby’s teeth? Do you give your baby regular dental check-ups? Do you get your baby’s teeth treated by a dentist for cavities? Many adults are used to seeing the doctor only when the toothache is unbearable and they never intend to cure the oral disease completely. The same attitude is adopted when it comes to children’s oral problems. While dentists are used to this, it is a serious concern for children who suffer from toothaches, oral infections and other oral problems. What does “dental neglect” mean? According to the British Association of Paediatric Dentistry, dental neglect is “the failure to consistently meet a child’s basic oral health needs and therefore the high risk of serious damage to the child’s oral and physical health and development.” Is dental neglect common? The truth is that dental caries in children, while not necessarily neglected by parents, is very common. In developed countries such as the United Kingdom, for example, in 2005, 60% of British pediatric dentists noted that they saw more than one case of untreated dental caries in children every day. In a pathology study conducted in the same year, dental neglect was more common among adolescents in inner-city slums, with rates as high as 40-50%. Dental neglect may not be the intention of the parents, but it may also be one of the common signs of child abuse. In today’s increasingly challenging child protection situation, the protection of children’s oral health should receive equal attention. Oral health is an integral part of physical health, and children who suffer from oral disease may have their lives affected in a variety of ways. Examples include toothaches, reduced sleep quality, difficulty eating or changes in eating habits, missing school and interactions with those around them, and being made fun of because of poor teeth. Because of dental disease, children may need to take antibiotics constantly and may even suffer from diseases related to general anesthesia. In the case of severe acute infections, this can lead to life-threatening systemic disease. In addition, there is growing evidence that untreated dental caries in preschoolers can lead to low weight, slow growth, and poor quality of life. Unlike other acts of abuse and neglect, dental neglect is not an isolated incident; it is closely related to a child’s medical history, social experiences, and developmental stage. Therefore, relevant factors should also be taken into account when developing the appropriate care plan, such as: Multiple factors contributing to tooth decay Individual susceptibility to dental disease Differences in treatment options (e.g., the dentist may choose control, restoration, or extraction when treating caries in the milk teeth) Adolescent autonomy (he may refuse or delay the treatment option proposed by the dentist) Inequities in oral hygiene (e.g., when it comes to caries treatment regional and social class differences)