Dental expert offers advice for parents
Dr Nigel Carter, Chief Executive of the British Dental Health Foundation, has offered advice to parents to help improve standards of oral health amongst children.
According to Dr Carter, parents have a very important role to play in their child’s oral health; teaching them good oral hygiene habits from an early age and providing them with a healthy diet helps to prevent oral health diseases and promote good health.
Rates of tooth decay are high amongst children in many areas of the country and a diet that is high in sugar is partly to blame; many children consume sugary foods and drinks on a regular basis and this increases the risk of tooth decay significantly. Bacteria in plaque, a sticky film which sticks to the surfaces of the teeth, reacts with sugar and produces harmful plaque acids, which attack the enamel surfaces of the teeth and leave them weak and vulnerable.
Dr Carter said that parents should be aware of the damage drinking fizzy drinks all day can do the teeth; the teeth can only withstand a limited number of acid attacks per day and drinking sugary drinks throughout the day means that the teeth are constantly exposed.
Dr Carter has urged parents to restrict their child’s intake of sugary foods and drinks, especially between meals. Drinking water or milk is much more beneficial for both oral and general health.
Experts are also urging parents to wean babies off bottles early, as drinking from a bottle can contribute to orthodontic problems and may also increase the risk of oral health conditions.
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