Research by the British Dental Health Foundation reveals two in every three people in the UK far from having three square meals, snack throughout the day, not giving their teeth time to recover from the acid attack caused by dental plaque and the sugar in foods and drinks potentially causing long term damage.
Not only is the constant snacking cause for concern, awareness of what snacks are healthy for teeth remains a problem. More than half (51 per cent) do not think cheese is good for oral health, yet two in every three people (67 per cent) think snacking on fresh and dried fruit throughout the day is of benefit.
The survey, which questioned more than 2,000 members of the public, was conducted by the British Dental Health Foundation ahead of National Smile Month, a campaign to improve the UK's oral health in 2013.
Chief Executive of the British Dental Health Foundation, Dr Nigel Carter OBE, believes a basic lack of knowledge could be behind the snacking culture.
Dr Carter said: "Most people know and understand how various foods and drinks affect their body and overall health but many remain unaware that diet also plays a vital role in oral health. Poor diet contributes to a variety of problems in the mouth including tooth decay, erosion and bad breath.
"It is important that people become more responsible with their diets and encourage good eating habits, especially from a younger age. It's clear there's a gap in people's knowledge from an oral health point of view about when you should eat and what you should eat.
"As a nation we have turned from three square meals a day to seven to ten snack attacks including constantly sipping sugary drinks and this may be one reason why improvements in dental health have been slowing down.
"Frequent consumption of sugary foods and drinks naturally weakens the enamel on the teeth. If people do snack between meals, choose foods and drinks that do not contain sugar, limiting the amount of time the mouth is at risk."
While the snacking culture in the UK may well be holding back improvements in oral health Dr Carter says the problem does not just affect our mouths but our pockets and general health as well.
"The cost of poor diet has a profound effect on our health," Dr Carter adds. "In the UK, an estimated £9.65 billion was spent on oral health care in 2012 - a figure which is predicted to increase by almost a fifth (17.2 per cent) to £11.31 billion by 2020.
"Add to that research showing over 60 per cent of adults are overweight or obese and you can see why poor diet is contributing to a growing social and economic burden of chronic disease including cardiovascular disease and type II diabetes, both of which have also been linked to poor oral health."
National Smile Month, which runs from 20 May to 20 June, is being supported by a record number of sponsors including Listerine, Extra and Oral-B, and encourages everyone to follow three basic rules for great oral health throughout life:
-
Brush your teeth for two minutes twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste;
-
Cut down on how often you have sugary foods and drinks;
Visit your dentist regularly, as often as they recommend.