Kids in Northern Ireland Devote the Least Time to Teeth Cleaning According to UK Survey
Children in Northern Ireland devote less time to cleaning their teeth than kids in other parts of the UK, according to a recent survey conducted by Mydentist.
According to the poll, children in Northern Ireland spend 60 seconds brushing their teeth, which is just half the time recommended by dentists. Even the best performing region, the North West of England, fell short of the recommended time with an average duration of 77 seconds.
The survey also showed that 20 percent of parents believed that fruit smoothies were healthy for children’s teeth, despite the fact that they are often packed with sugar and contain similar amounts to fizzy pop and energy drinks.
The findings come as leading dentists and doctors call for a tax to be introduced on sugary drinks in a bid to crack down on high rates of childhood obesity and decay.
Dr Barry Cockcroft, former chief dental officer for NHS England, believes that there is a lack of education for parents and children and many people are unaware of the hidden sugar content in drinks, especially those marketed as healthy products, such as juices and smoothies. The key for dentists and dental workers is to improve education and ensure that parents and children have the relevant knowledge to make healthy choices when it comes to buying food and drink and maintain a good oral hygiene programme at home.
Decay is the most common preventable illness among UK children and it’s no wonder given the findings of recent surveys like the Mydentist poll. Children are frequently ducking out of brushing twice a day and when they do clean their teeth, they are not cleaning for long enough. To improve the situation, Dr Cockcroft encourages supervised cleaning and recommends putting a song on for children to brush along to.
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