Almost nine out of 10 hospital tooth extractions in young children aged five and under are for rotting teeth that could have been prevented, new data reveals.
Public Health England (PHE) said despite tooth decay being largely avoidable, around 105 children every day require emergency removals and it is the most common hospital procedure in six to 10-year-olds.
At least 60,000 school days are missed every year because children need to have extractions.
Dr Sandra White, dental lead for PHE, says children in the UK are, on average, consuming eight sugar cubes more than the recommended daily limit. “This can have a very serious impact on their oral health,” she says.
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The NHS recommends children aged seven to 10 should have no more than 24g of sugar a day (the equivalent of six sugar cubes), while children aged four to six should have no more than 19g (five cubes) a day. However, many children are consuming around 11g at breakfast alone, said PHE.
Consuming too much sugar can lead to an increased risk of obesity and illnesses such as type 2 diabetes. Tooth decay in kids can also cause problems with eating and sleeping, and is preventable by cutting down on sugar intake and practicing good hygiene.
PHE’s Change4Life campaign is encouraging parents to “make a swap when you next shop” and switch to lower sugar alternatives for children, including drinks, yoghurts and breakfast cereals.
It also encourages them to limit fruit juice and smoothies to a total of 150ml per day and only consume them alongside meals.
Dr White says parents should ensure children brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste (once before bedtime and once during the day), and remind them to “spit not rinse”, as rinsing washes away the protective fluoride.
Brushing should start as soon as a child’s first tooth appears. “Small, consistent changes like these can have the biggest impact on children’s teeth,” she says.