School’s out for Summer

TEACHER’S REST … MOTHER’S PEST. That’s the old saying and as every parent knows, keeping kids occupied for the six weeks or so break can be a nightmare. Top of the list of things to do are trips to the park, picnics, excursions to the seaside, visits to children’s attractions, the cinema, or if the weather is particularly bad, then lots of DVDs.There’s one common theme that runs through all these activities though and it’s that the majority of children while they’re enjoying their Summer treats also get to enjoy lots of fizzy and sugary drinks, plus sweet snacks like chocolate, candy and cakes. As specialist Manchester dentists, who see thousands of children every year, we can say with confidence that these sugar-laden snacks produce a major risk to the health of a child’s teeth and are a direct cause of tooth decay.Sugar, whether it is present within a snack or a drink (and fizzy, sugary drinks are the worst) reacts with plaque on the teeth and produces a violent build up of acid that can dissolve and weaken tooth enamel. In turn this can lead to tooth decay and the need for oral surgery (sometimes under anaesthetic) to remove the infected teeth. Take a look at our Children page under Preventative Dentistry and you will find lots of advice and helpful hints on how to help prevent dental problems for children.At Carisbrook Dental, although we are all highly qualified dental professionals, many of us are also parents and we fully understand the pressures of trying to please young children. We don’t ever say never to drinks and sweets, but we do say – be sensible. Our advice is to ration these sweet treats and if possible try to limit them to mealtimes when some of the effects of the sugar can be neutralized by the savoury part of the meal. We’d also say that you should try to avoid high-sugar drinks and especially fizzy, sugary drinks. Still drinks and sugar-free drinks are actually to be recommended.And always … ensure that children clean their teeth properly both morning and night using a good toothbrush with a toothpaste that contains fluoride. You should always supervise young children cleaning their teeth. There is a lot of good information on our Tooth Decay page as well as on our Hygiene page.If you have any worries please do not put off making an appointment for your child to visit a dentist. The earlier a problem is spotted the easier it is to resolve.Carisbrook is the dentist Manchester specialist and we offer a special service designed to put even the youngest, most apprehensive child at ease. You can call us on 0161 951 7295 or send us a message from our Contact page for a free consultation.At Carisbrook we have very high standards regarding our world, the environment, ecology and the treatment of all Earth’s human and wildlife inhabitants. We strongly condemn the killing of animals and birds for sport, especially endangered species such as lions, tigers, rhinos and such.