SUGARY TREATS THREATEN ‘BEST KIDS TEETH IN EUROPE’
Parents’ use of sugary treats could lead to increased tooth problems
New research announced today by the Department of Health reveals that  whilst our children’s teeth are better than ever, 47% of parents are using high sugar snacks to reward children for good behaviour1, which could cause dental decay. The research also showed that parents are more likely to let their children eat sugary treats than grandparents.
Health Minister, Ann Keen said:
“As a nation we have made great progress in improving oral health care. Research from the World Health Organisation (WHO) shows that our twelve year olds have the healthiest teeth in Europe. Access to NHS dentistry is also improving as a result of increased funding, more NHS dentists and new dental practices.”
The ‘Smiles Ahead’ study, conducted amongst 1,054 adults (aged 18+) in England reveals that:
31% of parents give their children sweets because they asked for them, whereas only 21% of grandparents would do so
Parents are also more likely to allow their children to eat sweets everyday compared to grandparents (26% vs. 11%)
40% of children eat high sugar snacks at least once a week
Parents are more likely than grandparents to give children chocolate (62% vs. 48%) and sweet foods such as cakes, pastries and doughnuts (39% vs. 26%)
75% of children have visited a dentist, and 70% of parents have visited a dentist in the past 12 months
Parents are more likely to recognise the importance of encouraging their children to brush their teeth at least twice a day than grandparents (23% vs. 19%)
Barry Cockcroft, Chief Dental Officer comments:
“All children enjoy sweet treats occasionally and it is natural for parents to sometimes use them to reward good behaviour. However, sugary food and drink cause tooth decay in children, so it is important that parents do keep these treats to a minimum. Parents should also be teaching their children from a young age about caring for their teeth by brushing with family strength fluoride toothpaste, so that this becomes part of their child’s daily routine.”
There are 4,000 more dentists in England than there were ten years ago. The Department of Health has also boosted funding by 11% for 2008/09 on top of a 30% increase in funding in the last three years.
Sue Gregory, Deputy Chief Dental Officer at the Department of Health said:
“Oral health has improved dramatically over the last generation and we want to go even further to ensure that more children avoid the pain of tooth decay.”
Tooth decay can be prevented altogether by avoiding sugary food and drink and by brushing the teeth with fluoride toothpaste. It’s also important to see a dentist regularly, and all children are entitled to free NHS dental care.”
Oral health has improved greatly over the last couple of generations. In 1968, as many as 37% of adults had no teeth at all, by 1998 the figure had fallen to 11% and, by the time the next adult dental health survey is carried out in 2009 further reductions to about 6% are expected2
In 1973, 93% of 12 year olds had tooth decay; by 2003 the figure had fallen to a historical low of 38%2
Overall, dental health in the UK is excellent - 12 year old children in England have the best oral health of that age group in Europe. Although this is good news, there are still regional and socio-economic variations in oral health
There is a North/South divide. Areas of the country where oral health still needs to improve include Manchester, Liverpool, East Lancashire, West Yorkshire, Leeds, Nottingham, Leicester and parts of London
The Department of Health is working hard to improve oral health in these regions by:
encouraging local health authorities to ask residents if they are in support of schemes to add fluoride to the tap water
oral health promotion initiatives both through practices and direct to the community
opening new practices
The cities of Birmingham, Coventry, and Newcastle upon Tyne have some of the best dental health in England and all have fluoride in their drinking water
The local NHS is under a legal obligation to provide dental services. If people are in pain or need urgent treatment they should contact their local Primary Care Trust or check the NHS Choices website - www.nhs.uk - which has a postcode search facility for local dental practices and local helpline numbers
Dentists are required by law to provide the best possible healthcare to their patients. If a patient has reason to believe that this has not happened then they can report them to their local Primary Care Trust
Teeth friendly alternatives to sugary snacks and drinks include milk, cheese, raw vegetables, nuts and breadsticks
References
1 ICM Research. Smiles Ahead Children’s Dental Health Survey. March 2009
2 Department of Health. Choosing Better Oral Health: An Oral Health Plan for England. 2005
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