Festivities are less than a week away and orders have already started coming in at sweets shops in the city.
While sampling different kinds of sweets is one of the pleasures of celebration, doctors say residents should take a little care of their children’s teeth to ensure they stay healthy.
Studies show that almost 60 per cent of children in India below the age of five have dental caries, also known as cavities, said Madan Kumar, president, Indian Association of Public Health Dentistry, Tamil Nadu.
“Sucrose in sweets is the arch criminal when it comes to dental caries. Rinsing the mouth after eating a sweet can make a huge difference. If the children are too young to do this, parents can wipe their mouths with a clean cloth or cotton. Brushing twice a day with fluoridated toothpaste is also a must,” he said.
Caries in the milk teeth could cause pain, eating difficulties and infections, and in permanent teeth, if not taken care of, could lead to loss of teeth, Dr. Kumar said.
Encourage brushing
Parents should encourage teeth brushing and should ensure the child’s technique and the duration spent on brushing is correct, said Kavitha Ramar, clinic head, Apollo White Dental, Tambaram, who said she has seen an increasing number of children coming in with caries. “Protecting the teeth and protecting them from harm is very important,” she said.
Sugar is highly addictive, said L.N. Padmasini of the paediatric medicine department at Sri Ramachandra University.
“In our culture, happy occasions are celebrated with sweets, but the problem is we don’t do as much physical activity as our forefathers did and also, sweets are now available throughout the year. We could try and replace some sweets with fruits, and if we do eat sweets, have them in moderation,” she said.
Apart from dental problems, obesity was another issue and was on the rise among children, she said.
As Dr. Ramar put it, a chocolate in one hand and a toothbrush in another may probably be the way to go.
