Let Our Children Love Their Smile

A shocking statistic recently released shows that 500 British children are admitted to hospital every week, because of oral related health issues. Children have been seen by Dentists whose baby teeth are rotten to the stumps.

It is hard to believe how this is possible when children have access to FREE, twice yearly dental check-ups. Dental teams visit schools to educate and support oral health initiatives and we have more choice of toothbrushes and toothpaste than penny sweets.

This is part of the problem; sugary drinks, snacks and sweets fill children’s lunch boxes or are used as a reward or a method of calming a child’s mood. Sugar is the prime culprit of dental decay and the more we have sugar in between meals the worse it is for our teeth.

The figures from the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) are alarming: 25,812 children aged five to nine were admitted to hospital for dental problems in 2013/14 – 14 per cent up on 2010/11.

It appears that this is not a new problem, 30 years ago there would have been far more extractions performed on children in dental clinics. Now for safety reasons they are carried out in hospital and the statisticians are able to monitor these types of admissions. How in the 21^st century can these numbers be so high, with so much access and exposure to oral health advice and support?

There are still families that share a toothbrush, do not provide fluoride toothpaste or monitor their child’s brushing regime. Simple preventative measures that will keep your child’s smile looking healthy, bright and fresh. Having a great smile and a healthy mouth can also prevent the development of other health issues as well as being your very best asset to looking good!