Tips for a tooth-friendly Easter
Date: 27 March 2018 Category: Dental health
It’s that time of year again (already!) and the Easter bunny is well on the way to hiding all those Easter treats ready to be found in your household or gardens. But can we help to make it a tooth-friendly Easter?
If the Easter egg hunt is tradition for your family, you might like to think about ways to make those Easter baskets a little more tooth-friendly this year. After all, it seems like we’ve only just finished with Christmas! So as Easter is extra early this year and tooth decay in children remains a growing concern, we’ve come up with a few fun ideas to keep those smiles nice and healthy.
Easter arts and crafts
Have a look in Sainsbury’s on your next visit with us and look at their Easter range…
They have lots of fun Spring activity ideas, crafts and games for your children that all look really exciting and some small things can even fit into Easter baskets, which will definitely give children’s teeth a nice break from sugar.
This year, there is also a “Free From” range of chocolate eggs. These eggs are much lower in sugar, meaning your children can still enjoy the tasty treats but with less of an effect on their little teeth, so it’s a win-win!
Of course, it is a holiday so enjoy yourselves. Chocolate is actually better on your teeth than chewy sweets so even if you do want a splurge this year, just encourage good oral hygiene for your children and make sure they are brushing twice a day and flossing!
Oral health tips from CFD Brookwood
Dr Khalil Yasin from Centre for Dentistry Brookwood offers some advice to help you keep up good oral hygiene and ensure a more tooth-friendly Easter:
Limiting the amount of sugar you eat and drink is important to prevent tooth decay. A lot of the sugars we love to eat are mostly found in sweets and chocolate and you’ll be seeing these things everywhere this Easter!
Here are some top tips to help make sure your smiles stay healthy:
- Reduce sugary snacks: The risk of developing tooth decay increases as the amount and frequency of sugar consumption rises.
- Brush twice a day: Keeping teeth clean by regular brushing helps prevent decay. Children’s brushing should be supervised until the age of seven. Ask your dentist for more advice.
- Use a fluoride toothpaste: All children up to three years old should use a toothpaste with a fluoride level of at least 1000ppm, both morning and night, to help protect the teeth. From three to six years old, their toothpaste should contain more than 1000ppm. For children six years and older, the recommended amount is between 1350ppm-1500ppm.
- Visit the dentist on a regular basis: Ask your dentist how often you should visit and keep your appointments. If oral health problems are spotted early they are far easier to deal with. Your dentist can answer any questions you have about the best way to look after your child’s teeth.
Children go free with registered adults
For all registered parents at Centre for Dentistry, we provide check-ups and fluoride applications free for children under 11 years old. For children 11-17 years old, check-ups are £15.
If your child is due for a check-up and you would like to register please find your nearest CFD practice.
Open Easter Weekend
Our practices are open and here for our patients this Easter, read our latest blog for opening hours! You can contact your practice directly on Good Friday, Easter Saturday and Easter Monday and we’ll do our utmost to help. Our emergency line is available for registered patients on Easter Sunday, as every Sunday, from 10am until 4pm on 0333 1234 224.