Crisps are better for children’s teeth than dried fruit, dentists claim
Diet is one of the most important considerations for health-conscious parents, especially those who are eager to keep their children’s smiles in check. The trouble is that often, advice about healthy and unhealthy foods can be confusing, and so-called healthy snacks may not be quite as saintly as they seem. As dentist Ben Atkins, from the British Dental Association, explains, often, parents who think they’re making positive choices at the checkout, can come unstuck as a result of clever marketing and food myths.
Mr Atkins warned against buying products that are aimed at children without checking the labels first, using the example of child-friendly crisps. These products often contain added sugar, which isn’t found in products that are geared towards adults. There’s a perception that crisps are bad for you, but while they aren’t the best food choice, they’re actually often better for children than alternatives like dried fruit. West London dentist, Nicole Sturzenbaum, described dried fruit as a “nightmare” because products like boxes and bags of raisins usually contain a lot of sugar and the fruit is sticky. When you at raisins, they cling to your teeth, which spells bad news when it comes to tooth decay. Parents think they’re giving their children healthy snacks, but in reality, there are much better options out there. A 100g bag of dried apricots contains 53g of sugar compared to a standard Kit-Kat bar, which contains 10.8g
The advice from dentists comes after a report compiled by the Royal College of Surgeons showed that the number of extraction procedures carried out on pre-school children in hospital has risen significantly in recent years. Figures show that the number of procedures has rocketed by 24 percent in the last decade alone.
