Brushing teeth alone simply not enough to protect Kids teeth from sugary snacks
A study by the Journal of Public Health has found that sugary snacking habits are strongly associated with dental decay after studying a group of almost 4,000 pre-school children.
The findings come as Dr Carter, Chief Executive of the Oral Health Foundation revealed that “170 children underwent operations in England every day to have rotten teeth removed” and that the research proves that sugary food and drink is the leading reason.
It was found that under-fives who snack through the day, rather than just eat at traditional meal times, were much more likely to have symptoms of tooth decay, despite taking the precaution of brushing their teeth.
Dr Carter went on to clarify that “It is clear that tooth brushing with a fluoride toothpaste alone is not the magic wand that many people still believe it to be and preventing tooth decay also has to involve changing diet and lifestyle.
“Almost every single one of these operations, and the pain and suffering associated with them, could have been prevented with effective behaviour changes to help protect children’s oral health.
“Snacking throughout the day on sugary foods and drinks means that children’s teeth come under constant attack from acid and can quickly lead to severe problems.
