Warnings for Parents Over Healthy Treats That Are Damaging Children’s Teeth

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Parents who are desperately trying to provide their children with healthy treats are unintentionally contributing to oral health problems, dentists are warning.

Many treats, which are branded as healthy alternatives to sweets and chocolate bars, are actually laden with sugar or highly acidic and this is contributing to high rates of tooth decay. Snacks such as raisins and other dry fruit and cereal bars and drinks such as smoothies and fruit juices, are sometimes as damaging as fizzy pop and confectionary for the teeth.

Solveig Lister is just one of many mothers who have been trying to ensure her daughter, Sophia, enjoys a healthy and balanced diet and she was shocked to discover that Sophia had tooth decay. When Sophia started to complain about toothache, Solveig assumed that it was just a passing discomfort caused by her molar teeth erupting, but when it didn’t go, Solveig took Sophia to the dentist and was devastated when the dentist said that Sophia needed root canal treatment and three fillings.

Solveig said she was “mortified” and felt like she must be a terrible mother for Sophia’s teeth to be in such a state. She was also incredibly shocked, as Sophia isn’t allowed sweets on a regular basis and she has a very healthy diet.

Dr Nicole Sturzenbaum, from Toothbeary Richmond, said that Solveig’s story is certainly not an isolated incident in the wealthy boroughs of London and many parents are completely unaware that the healthy snacks they are giving their children are actually potentially very harmful. Often, fruit juice contains more sugar than fizzy drinks and it is also acidic, which contributes to enamel wear.

Solveig said that she regularly gave Sophia apple juice in a cup and was totally unaware that this could be damaging her teeth; in contrast, her son, who is 11, has always preferred to drink water and has no cavities. She also admitted that she didn’t realise that Sophia should have been having regular dental checks and assumed that she would be fine until she was older and had lost her baby teeth. After seeing her dentist, Solveig said that everything made sense and she will now be reading labels and looking out for hidden sugars when she does the weekly shop.

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