The school summer holidays are upon us, and with the kids off school it can open up a world of more sweet treats and less stringent rules with our diets. When it comes to those sugary delights, The Edge Dental believes everything in moderation. However, we must acknowledge sugar really does damage teeth. It’s important not to completely relax when it comes to our oral hygiene routines this summer.
Tooth decay remains one of the most common dental problems in the UK. As reported on the Action on Sugar charity website, ‘it is estimated that 1 in 3 adults suffers from dental caries and close to 1 in 4 children equally suffer from some form of tooth decay’. The sugar found in food and drinks plays a major part in tooth decay.
Your mouth is jam packed with bacteria that combines with food particles and saliva to form plaque. The bacteria in plaque turns sugary food and drinks into energy and produces harmful acid at the same time. If there is a build-up of plaque, the resulting acid can begin to break down the outer surface of your tooth and eventually enter and damage the inner part of the tooth.
Plaque forms on our teeth after eating and if it is not removed properly by brushing and flossing, it can cause tooth decay. It is particularly bad for your teeth to graze on food constantly throughout the day. This means that teeth do not have a chance to recover from the acid attack that occurs when bacteria in plaque and sugar come together.
People who regularly consume sugar have a greater risk of developing dental caries, especially if the food they are eating is sticky or eaten in between meals. This can ultimately lead to tooth pain and sensitivity, the need for fillings, and even tooth loss.
Everyone is at risk of tooth decay, but it is often thought it is teenagers and children who are most at risk.
Many of us eat too much sugar and the World Health Organisation believes we should reduce the amount of free sugars we consume. These ‘free sugars’ are added to many foods and drinks nationwide. They are also present in unsweetened fruit juices, purees, honey, and syrups. Even though progress has been made in the UK to reduce our sugar intake, a survey from the British Nutrition Foundation found that children still consume at least double the recommended number of daily calories from free sugar.
It is important to get your children to visit the dentist as soon as their baby teeth start appearing. The earlier they pay a visit to the dentist, the sooner they will realise there is nothing to worry about and it will become a natural part of the care of their teeth.
Our dentist in Alderley Edge welcomes children, and you are welcome to bring them as part of your dental appointment. We will check over your child’s teeth and gums, we also check the bite of the teeth and make sure that the adult teeth are growing properly.
We will also put into practice important cleaning tips, teach them how to brush teeth properly, and also advise what foods to eat in moderation to avoid future cavities. We are also able to provide preventative treatments, such as fissure sealants and fluoride varnishes.
Hygiene appointments can help prevent gum disease and dental decay and it is important for adults to get a professional clean to remove any plaque build-up every six months.
If you would like to make a dental appointment with us for a check up or hygiene clean, please contact us on 01625 599 001 or email info@theedgedental.co.uk
Our team are always happy to assist you.
