With Easter around the corner, we all know it can be difficult to limit our children's sugar intake, especially with all the chocolate treats that the Easter bunny will bring!
Looking at the amount of sugar in an Easter egg can be quite alarming. Public Health England guidance recommends that children aged between 4 and 10 years of age should eat no more than the equivalent of 5-6 cubes of sugar each day, but data shows children are consuming on average 13 cubes of sugar a day.
Many children today receive several Easter eggs, from parents, friends and relatives. Without being a total spoilsport, it is important to be mindful of how much sugar is in Easter eggs and try and limit the harm.
Remember it's the frequency as well as the amount of sugar in products and affects oral health.
Here are some tips to help protect your children's teeth from the Easter onslaught.
If you can see it, brush it!
Brushing their teeth twice a day is very important to maintain good oral health for your child.
We are now advised as dentists to encourage children to use mint toothpaste rather than flavored toothpaste to help child get used to the flavor of the mint, which they often call "spicy!". Children over the age of 2 can use adult toothpaste ( check the label on your toothpaste if you are unsure), so there is no need to buy special, children's flavoured toothpaste which often come at a high price. Use a pea-size amount only and help your child navigate around all the teeth in the mouth with their toothbrush to ensure they are all cleaned properly. Try and spend about 2 minutes a day on their brushing. Your child should spit out as much of the toothpaste from the mouth as possible, but make sure they don't rinse out the mouth after with water! This will only rinse the fluoride away from teeth when it could be strengthening them.
Do not encourage treats between meals
When you chew, the mouth automatically produces saliva, which washes away food debris. This keeps the mouth clean and teeth cleanses the teeth. The mouth can cope with about 3 bouts of acid attacks a day which is why we advise sweet teats to be had at meal times only to give the mouth a chance to recover. As a rule of thumb, it is the frequency of sugar intake rather than the amount ingested which causes the most damage. So save that Easter egg for after lunch or dinner !
Don't brush your child's teeth immediately after eating.
It is important to wait at least 30 mins after eating before you brush your child's teeth, particularly if they have consumed acidic foods and drinks ( like apple juice). If your child brushes too quickly after eating, you will be literally brushing the acid into the teeth and wearing the enamel away.
Drink water!
The best drinks for your child are milk and water. Give you child a drink of water to wash down their Easter egg, This will help rinse away plaque , bacteria and debris. Also fluoride in water will help strengthen their teeth.
Switch chocolate!
Be mindful of the sugar contents of different types of chocolate and switch to low sugar varieties where possible. Green and Black's Easter eggs over Nestles, slash sugar from 70g to 45.5 g of sugar. Cadbury's creme eggs contain 26.6g of sugar ( approx 6 teaspoons of sugar) whereas a Malteser bunny contain 15g of sugar (approx 3.5 teaspoons of sugar.
Give them foods that will clean their teeth
Eating crunchy, raw vegetable , like carrots, apples and celery help stimulate saliva production which in turn protects teeth. The crunchiness also help remove plaque and food debris from teeth.
For more information, contact Dr Jennifer Collins in Northumberland Dental Care on 016688441 or at www.nidm.ie
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