This is particularly concerning at this time of year, as their teeth will not be protected from the Halloween treats they inevitably collect.
Halloween traditionally sees children parade around the neighbourhood in fancy dress, collecting sweet treats as they go. What seems like harmless fun could be risking your child’s health in the long run.
Of course, parents don’t want their little ones to miss out. Many will stand by and do their best to regulate how much sugar their child consumes. It’s common for homes to offer ‘snack-sized’ varieties of sweets for trick or treaters that visit. You may think that the smaller variations of sweets are healthier, but some of the most popular treats could be the worst for your child’s teeth.
You can’t always stop your children from indulging in their favourite sweets, especially when they get them for free on Halloween. However, you can do your best to protect their teeth by brushing every day.
Whilst you may not think that second two minute brush will make a difference, the signs of poor oral health in younger years are already starting to show. 9.7 per cent of the parents we asked with children aged 0-8 confessed that their child already had at least one filling.
It might be a widespread problem, but there certainly isn’t anything normal about tooth decay in children. This issue is caused by a combination of food debris and saliva, which creates a layer of plaque. When your children don’t get rid of the build-up of plaque by brushing their teeth, they are at risk. This is because the carbohydrates in the sweets and sugary drinks help the bacteria in plaque to thrive. The bacteria produce an acid that over time breaks down the protective layer of your tooth, leading to cavities.
It is vital for parents to instil good oral hygiene habits in their children at a young age. What they learn today impacts them tomorrow and bad practice now could hinder them in later life.
Barry Cockcroft, non-exec director of Mydentist says: "All children will eat some sweets at some time but it is important that the time when sugar is in contact with the teeth is reduced as much as possible. It is better that sweet treats are consumed around meal times and not constantly during the day. Brushing the teeth twice a day, and particularly last thing at night, is also important but a combination of good practices can seriously improve oral health. "
For more information regarding children’s dental health issues, please consult our kid’s club page.