Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
322 kids get all teeth out because of sugary diets
DENTISTS have called for action before the shocking number of children needing full dental extractions becomes a crisis.
A diet of sugary food and drinks along with poor oral hygiene has led to an epidemic of preventable tooth decay costing the NHS £50million a year, experts claim.
Figures reveal 322 kids aged under 10 have had all their teeth out in hospital since 2012.
Last year, 75 had dental clearances – up 40% from the 54 in 2012-13. In older children that could mean the loss of adult teeth which start growing between five and 14.
Dentists insist the sugar tax is helping but more needs to be done to educate parents and kids.
Dr Max Davie of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health said: “The leading cause of decay is poor diet.
“With one in three children obese by the time they leave primary school, cases of tooth extraction are likely to increase unless something is done urgently to prevent it.”
So it is deeply depressing that in the 21st century dentists are increasingly having to perform “full dental extractions”, with many involving children.
The number of kids who have had all their teeth extracted has risen by 40% in the past year. They are being robbed of their smiles.
What makes this so tragic is that tooth decay is easily preventable.
Parents have a responsibility to encourage their kids to brush regularly and limit the amount of junk food and drink they consume.
But big business also needs to stop putting profits ahead of the public’s health. They can do more to cut sugar and promote healthier alternatives to fizzy drinks and sweet foods.
If we care about our children’s future, we need to mend our ways.