Stop the rot! Why thousands of British children are having their teeth taken out in hospital
Stop the rot! Why thousands of British children are having their teeth taken out in hospital
Dental experts and senior practitioners are calling on the Government to tackle the alarming level of tooth-loss among the very young
Tooth decay in children is caused by a range of factors including diet and a failure to brush properly. However, one of the major issues is the popularity of fizzy drinks and sugary, acidic fruit juices.
Dr Harley said that tooth wear is a common consequence of drinking acidic beverages, and has become a particular problem with many parents giving their children fruit juices as part of their five-a-day intake: "We still have a population who don't drink water as the natural thing that they pick up when they're thirsty.
"There are an awful lot of children still consuming squashes, diluted juices or pure juice in some shape or form such that they're continuing to do damage to their teeth."
Before her daughter's dental treatment Julie, 39, from Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, said Imogen often ate sweets and she preferred the soft drink Fanta to milk or water. She was also allowed to brush her own teeth or her grandmother would sometimes clean them. But after her extractions Imogen no longer brushes her teeth herself and only eats sweets as a treat, as well as cutting out the sugary fizzy drinks.
Barry Cockcroft, the Chief Dental Officer for England, said: "Children in England generally have very good oral health and around 70 per cent are completely free of decay. However we know that decay rates are higher in deprived areas and that's why we are focusing on a more preventative approach to dental care."
Top tips for a big smile
Here are five tips for looking after your children's teeth from Kathryn Harley, dean of the faculty of dentistry at the Royal College of Surgeons
* Parents should brush their children's teeth twice a day; children are not able to brush on their own, until they have the manual dexterity to write their name, or at age seven.
* Children should start going to the dentist from 18 months.
* Children should only be given fizzy drinks and juice as a treat at the weekends.
* Stick to milk and water during the week.
* Restrict sweets to mealtimes only.
Why give them any then they won't expect any?
Dental experts and senior practitioners are calling on the Government to tackle the alarming level of tooth-loss among the very young
Tooth decay in children is caused by a range of factors including diet and a failure to brush properly. However, one of the major issues is the popularity of fizzy drinks and sugary, acidic fruit juices.
Dr Harley said that tooth wear is a common consequence of drinking acidic beverages, and has become a particular problem with many parents giving their children fruit juices as part of their five-a-day intake: "We still have a population who don't drink water as the natural thing that they pick up when they're thirsty.
"There are an awful lot of children still consuming squashes, diluted juices or pure juice in some shape or form such that they're continuing to do damage to their teeth."
Before her daughter's dental treatment Julie, 39, from Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, said Imogen often ate sweets and she preferred the soft drink Fanta to milk or water. She was also allowed to brush her own teeth or her grandmother would sometimes clean them. But after her extractions Imogen no longer brushes her teeth herself and only eats sweets as a treat, as well as cutting out the sugary fizzy drinks.
Barry Cockcroft, the Chief Dental Officer for England, said: "Children in England generally have very good oral health and around 70 per cent are completely free of decay. However we know that decay rates are higher in deprived areas and that's why we are focusing on a more preventative approach to dental care."
Top tips for a big smile
Here are five tips for looking after your children's teeth from Kathryn Harley, dean of the faculty of dentistry at the Royal College of Surgeons
* Parents should brush their children's teeth twice a day; children are not able to brush on their own, until they have the manual dexterity to write their name, or at age seven.
* Children should start going to the dentist from 18 months.
* Children should only be given fizzy drinks and juice as a treat at the weekends.
* Stick to milk and water during the week.
* Restrict sweets to mealtimes only.
Why give them any then they won't expect any?
posted by Bill at
9:42 AM
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