Exeter dentist backs calls for teeth brushing lessons
Nursery-age children should be given lessons in how to brush their teeth to try and stop the worsening dental health crisis in the UK.
The Exeter Dental Centre, located in the heart of the city, are backing experts at The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) which is urging local authorities to target children from the age of three – 12 per cent of whom are already eating too much sugar and showing signs of tooth decay – by going into schools to demonstrate how to brush teeth.
Owner and principal dentist, Mike Hesekth, said: “At The Exeter Dental Centre we are firm believers in preventative care. We support this action, anything that can work to prevent children from tooth decay and the problems this causes would be beneficial.
“We were all shocked by the recent statistics that one in 8 children under the age of three is suffering tooth decay. There is a widespread problem with children consuming too much sugar, often with parents unaware of the consequences. There is also an issue with children not cleaning their teeth with fluoride toothpaste, which is extremely important.
“We need, as a society to work together to help parents and carers give their children the best start in life and act now to stop the rot before it starts. We would welcome any initiative that means children are learning correct procedures for looking after their oral health.”
The Exeter Dental Centre has a few top tips for keeping kids’ teeth and gums clean:
• Brush teeth twice a day to prevent tooth decay and gum disease as well as bad breath
• Brushing should start as soon as the first tooth makes an appearance.
• With a pea-sized squeeze of fluoride toothpaste on your brush, and using small circular movements, clean each individual tooth thoroughly and evenly, making sure hard-to-reach teeth are also cleaned.
• Be sure to clean along the gum line as well as the teeth themselves.
• Children need regular visits to the dentist, just like adults – start good habits early!
