Are Sweet Treats Damaging your Child’s Health?

Are sugary drinks and foods packed with preservatives damaging your child’s oral health?

If sugary foods and drinks are consumed too often obvious dental health issues such as dental decay, erosion, and tooth loss start become a real concern. In 2003, 1% of five-year-olds had obvious signs of tooth decay - a worrying statistic.

Not only is the number of infants and young children consuming sugary foods and drinks on the increase, the amount they are consuming is also rocketing causing concern amongst dental professionals and the British Dental Health Foundation.

The Diet and Nutrition Survey of Infants and Young Children discovered in their recent report that two in every three (62 per cent) of children aged 12-18 months had ‘sugar, preserves, and confectionary’ foods. One in four (26 per cent) of 12-18 month old instants also enjoyed fruit juices and soft drinks on a regular basis.

The result is an obvious problem of oral health in young children caused by consumption of sugary foods and drinks on a regular basis.

Whilst it is unrealistic to expect sweet foods and sugary drinks to be removed from a child’s diet completely, it is important to try to limit consumption to protect their teeth from erosion and decay.

Three Tips to Remember:
1.Water (or milk) instead of sugary drinks including fruit juice, which can cause decay.
2.Savoury foods such as cheese, pasta, and vegetables are great for the teeth.
3.Limit consumption of any sweet treats to mealtimes.