Families should receive free toothpaste and toothbrushes, pupils should be banned from sharing birthday cakes with friends and parents told not to sweeten babies' feeding bottles if rising rates of child tooth decay are to be halted, dentists are urging.
Experts want a new approach to tackle the growing number of children, some as young as three, who have to undergo painful extractions. They also want schools to stop rewarding students who do well with chocolate; childminders and nursery staff to ensure that toddlers brush their teeth twice a day; and a big increase in the number of children receiving fluoride varnish.
The call comes from Dr Gill Davies and Dr Colette Bridgman, dental public health specialists who work for Manchester's NHS primary care trust. Writing in the British Dental Journal, they demand that parents play the key role in getting their offspring into good dental hygiene habits from soon after they are born by not giving them high-sugar foods and drinks, ensuring they have regular check-ups and cleaning their teeth regularly.
