Too many children under the age of five consume foods and drinks with high levels of sugar at least once a day, according to a survey published by charity Action for Children. Over half (59 per cent) of parents in the West Midlands give their children sugary drinks like squash and cordial at least once or twice a day, exceeding the maximum daily allowance of five sugar cubes for children of that age. The polling of 2,000 parents across the UK including 172 in the West Midlands also found that although only 8 per cent allow their children to have fizzy drinks every day, nearly one in five (22 per cent) think it’s okay to give them ‘healthy’ snacks such as raisins without taking into account how much sugar they contain.
When asked how many times a year West Midlands parents take their children to the dentist 12 per cent responded that under 5s are too young to be visiting the dentist, despite the fact that baby teeth need as much care as adult teeth in order to avoid a lifetime of poor oral health.
The charity aims to launch educational sessions and provide take-home packs for ten thousand children across the UK this August to raise awareness of the importance of oral health and help children develop an effective oral hygiene routine.
Carol Iddon, Managing Director at Action for Children, said:
“Too many children continue to be badly affected by poor oral health – but being able to smile with confidence is important for a child’s self-esteem and lifelong physical health. We need to provide the opportunity for children and families to develop a better understanding of the importance of oral health. Prevention can help avoid unnecessary pain for children and save parents and the healthcare system money.
“Our fun and informative workshops will aim to provide the opportunity for children and families to develop a better understanding of the importance of oral health and the practical skills they need to maintain it.”
The charity’s first ever oral health workshops are endorsed by the Oral Health Foundation and funded by The Wrigley Company Ltd. through the Smile BackTM project, an eight week campaign during which a donation to Action for Children will be made, for every pack of Extra® sugarfree gum sold in the UK.
