Since 2012, the NHS has spent over £165 million on teeth removal in a hospital environment for patients of all ages. That’s an amazing amount of money!
In 2017, over 42, 000 children were admitted for a general anaesthetic procedure, to extract teeth that were affected by decay. The issue also touches adults. The most common cause of tooth decay, in the UK, is our increasingly high consumption of sugar. Ultimately, with 170 operations a day to remove teeth in patients aged 18 or under, there’s no denying that the UK is going through a dramatic oral health crisis. We all need to ensure that we help our children develop positive habits, both in the bathroom and in the kitchen if we want to help reduce some of these teeth removal operations.
Mouth Hygiene isn’t Optional
First of all, it’s never too early to introduce a healthy routine. Good oral health is detrimental to your well-being and your lifestyle. Ultimately, we all know what causes tooth decay: sugar. Indeed, sugar feeds the bacteria in your mouth and increases the risk of plaque formation, which is when your teeth can get damaged. Consequently, it’s essential to brush your teeth at least twice a day to make sure that bacteria can’t affect your smile. Floss should be a daily occurrence too as it eliminates the food that might otherwise get stuck between your teeth and lead to plaque formation.
Too Ashamed to Smile?
Unfortunately, cavities can still happen, especially if you’ve developed bad habits in the past. When plaque bacteria have softened the enamel, a hole can appear. A dentist can help you to identify the best treatment for your problem. In most cases, filling the cavity is sufficient. However, if the root is infected, the treatment could be extensive and require extraction. If this is the case, you need to act quickly. You can cover the extracted area with a veneer solution such as Instasmile, for instance. Tooth or teeth removal is the last resort. Keeping on top of your dental checkup could save your tooth and you money.
Don’t Wait for the First Tooth
Failure to educate children about the importance of oral hygiene is one of the leading causes of extraction in young patients. Indeed, while sugar can provide a favourable terrain for plaque formation, it could be prevented through tooth brushing. But, you need to introduce a mouth health routine even before your child has their first tooth. Indeed, helping to keep the gums clean in babies and toddlers can prevent gum recession in older years. Gum recession not only exposes the teeth to bacteria but it can also aggravate the impact of tooth decay, leading to tooth loss.
Avoiding Teeth Removal: In Summary
Clearly, we have some serious dental issues here in the UK. Sugar isn’t the only thing that causes problems obviously but it has been identified as a major contributor. Advice states that the best way to deal with this growing issue, especially in terms of avoiding teeth removal is to teach children early about good oral hygiene habits and to help them maintain their new and important routines. This is something we’ve worked really hard on with the boys but there is always more work to do.
On that note, if you have any top tips for boosting children’s tooth/oral care routines let me know by commenting below.
