Parents are giving up the bathroom battle to get their kids to brush well enough to keep their gums and teeth healthy.

Dentists now warn a generation of kids will grow up facing rotting teeth, extractions and gum disease.

Latest research shows 85 per cent of parents struggle to get their children to brush, with many saying their son or daughter is too tired, it's too difficult or they want to avoid conflict.

More than half of pre-schoolers have never visited a dentist, despite NSW Health recommending regular check-ups from the age of six months.

"For the average parent, it is quite difficult,'' Dr Eduardo Alcaino, specialist paediatric dentist and visiting consultant at Westmead Centre for Oral Health and Sydney Dental Hospital, said.

"Pre-schoolers can be quite playful or difficult and that can disrupt their parents' best intentions. I don't think most children get their teeth brushed twice a day.

"A lot of parents say to us that, although they try, their children won't let them.''

The new findings were based on Galaxy Research, commissioned for Oral-B, and were backed by some of NSW's top dentists. Results showed the average brushing time for pre-schoolers was one minute.

Only nine per cent brushed for the recommended two minutes or more.

More than two-thirds of parents say they are worried about the long-term dental health impact of their child not brushing properly.

But only seven per cent always brush their child's teeth for them.

Australian Dental Association research supported the findings, showing almost half of Australian six-year-olds have cavities in their baby teeth, while 42 per cent of 12-year-olds have them in their permanent teeth.

Associate Professor Hans Zoellner, chairman of the Association for the Promotion of Oral Health, said he was not surprised by the research.

"Children don't have the manual dexterity to brush their own teeth _ they really need their parents' help,'' he said.

The Australasian Academy of Paediatric Dentistry's Dr James Lucas said dental decay in children was worsening and could lead to problems like abscesses, extractions and infections.

Dr Lucas said parents from all socio-economic backgrounds struggled to get their children to brush their teeth.

Another dental expert described tooth decay as being like "leprosy of the mouth''.

October 12, 2008 12:00am