Dried fruit a ‘nightmare’ for teeth
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- Published: Monday, 26 June 2017 08:03
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Children are better off eating crisps than raisins because of the damage the dried fruit cause to teeth, according to a report in the Sunday Times. Ben Atkins, a dentist and a spokesman for the BDA, said crisps were “totally fine” for teeth. Ordinary crisps were better because some children’s brands had added sugar, he added.
Children who eat crisps do far less damage to their teeth than those eating dried fruit snacks, which one dentist called a ‘nightmare’. While parents believe they are giving their children a healthy option, eating raisins is like “gluing sugar to the teeth” because of their stickiness, according to dentists.
Nicole Sturzenbaum, a dentist at Toothbeary, a children-only private dental practice in west London, said dried fruit snacks were a ‘nightmare’. She said: “These snacks have definitely contributed to the problem, in particular within the cohort of health-conscious parents who aim to provide their children with a healthy diet. All dried fruits, including muesli bars, are bad for teeth.”
The article reminded readers that removal of decayed teeth is the most common operation carried out under anaesthetic on children aged between five and nine. Every year about 25,000 children in this age group are admitted to hospital for the procedure in England.
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