THE
FACTS
A report by YouGov
last year found
that 28 percent of
UAE residents only
brush their teeth
a single time a
day. Furthermore,
World Health
Organization
(WHO) statistics
revealed that more
than 50 percent
of five-year-old
children in the UAE
had four or more
decayed, missing,
or filled teeth. Only
17 percent were
decay free. “The
first step in parents
taking measures
in the prevention
of tooth decay
starts by dispelling
myths associated
with dental care,”
tells Dr. Sandeep
Malhotra, Specialist
Pediatric Dentist in
Dubai.
COMMON MYTHS
ASSOCIATED WITH
DENTAL CARE IN
CHILDREN
Fruit Juice is Healthy: It is not
uncommon to see children sipping
on little boxes of fruit juice during
recess at school or at the mall.
Parents are quick to give these
to their children instead of fizzy
drinks. However, they are just as
unhealthy as a can of cola due to
their high sugar and acid content.
Some packaged orange juices
contain as much as 6 teaspoons
of sugar per 250 milliliters which
results in tooth decay. The acids
erode the enamel resulting in
weaker teeth. Milk and water are
the best drinks to give your child.
If you are to give them a fruit
juice, dilute it with a cup or two
of water and make sure your child
drinks it quickly rather taking a
few sips every hour with a sippy
cup. This minimizes the contact
time the unhealthy juice has with
their teeth.
Dried Fruits are Better than
Chocolate: Raisins, dried
apricots, dried figs, and prunes are
popular snack options for parents
looking to give their kids healthier
alternatives to chocolate. However,
these dried fruits have an adverse
effect on teeth as they are high in
sugar and since they are sticky,
they sit on the teeth eroding the
enamel. This ultimately leads to
a cavity. As a better, healthier
alternative for the teeth, opt
for nuts, seeds, breadsticks, or
croutons.
Brushing Teeth Right after
a Meal is Good: Most parents
encourage their children to brush
their teeth right after a meal to
ensure food debris is cleared from
the mouth. Most foods or drinks
including milk contain some
acid which acts on the tooth and
demineralizes it right after eating.
This leads to softer enamel and
if someone brushes their teeth
right after a meal, chances are they
are brushing away the enamel.
Encourage your child to brush
their teeth before breakfast rather
than after and if they are older
than age eight give them sugarfree chewing gum. The chewing
action results in the production of
saliva which helps fight decay as it
neutralizes the acid.
Toothpaste Should Be
Rinsed Out after Brushing: It
is a very common misconception
in dental care where adults and
children alike rinse out the
toothpaste after brushing their
teeth. However, the fluoride
present in toothpaste acts on the
teeth for a period of 30 minutes
following the brushing of the teeth.
As uncomfortable as it may be, it is
advised that adults and children do
not rinse their mouth immediately
after. Also make sure that
children above age three use adult
toothpaste as toothpastes meant
for children have lower fluoride
content. H
(Credit: Dr. Sandeep Malhotra)
Mar/Apr 2016
29