South Australia
THE rising popularity of sugary drinks has become an "epidemic" for oral health and is being blamed for hundreds of children being admitted to hospital for tooth extractions.
Dental authorities say the number of SA children under eight hospitalised for dental treatment last year was around 1300 – most undergoing extraction and restoration as a result of early childhood tooth decay.
The major causes of the decay include soft drinks, sports drinks, fruit juices and cordials, which have overtaken tap water as the drink of choice for youngsters.
Alarming numbers of toddlers need to have baby teeth removed because of excessive decay and enamel erosion.
"The impact of popular drinks on our oral health has become an epidemic," Australian Dental Association (SA) president Dr Peter Alldritt said.
Eastwood grandmother Gini Gooden watched as her granddaughter Gracie, 6, underwent a check-up. "We never had the soft drinks that they do these days – we always drank water," Ms Gooden said.
One of the hidden problems with juices and soft drinks is their extreme acidity which strips calcium and phosphate from teeth, causing enamel to erode....
Dental authorities say the number of SA children under eight hospitalised for dental treatment last year was around 1300 – most undergoing extraction and restoration as a result of early childhood tooth decay.
The major causes of the decay include soft drinks, sports drinks, fruit juices and cordials, which have overtaken tap water as the drink of choice for youngsters.
Alarming numbers of toddlers need to have baby teeth removed because of excessive decay and enamel erosion.
"The impact of popular drinks on our oral health has become an epidemic," Australian Dental Association (SA) president Dr Peter Alldritt said.
Eastwood grandmother Gini Gooden watched as her granddaughter Gracie, 6, underwent a check-up. "We never had the soft drinks that they do these days – we always drank water," Ms Gooden said.
One of the hidden problems with juices and soft drinks is their extreme acidity which strips calcium and phosphate from teeth, causing enamel to erode....
posted by Bill at
9:58 AM
1 Comments:
I want to relate a personal experience that occured at my local hospital. My son (2 1/2 yrs) whilst attending nursery had a fall and damaged his upper insicors. This led to them having to be removed. So we attended an Orthodontic clinic at the local hospital. What we encountered horrified me.
Amongst the other parents attending with their children was one particular couple who were both overweight. I enquired as to why they were there, it turned out that they had been giving their daughter "Sunny D". The result was that this little girl (perhaps 5 or 6) had 8 teeth removed!!
They were completely distraught as was the child.
It is indeed the promotion of toxic sweets, soft drinks and squashes that are the true cause of dental problems.
The compaies producing these should be challenged and the truth as to dental and other problems associated with them highlighted.
By
waterman27, at 01 October, 2008
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