When sugar intake persists: how do we protect children’s teeth?
While dietary advice remains essential, clinicians will recognise that sugar exposure is not always fully controlled. In these cases, supporting enamel under ongoing acid challenge becomes increasingly important.
For optimal oral health, sugar intake should be minimised and oral hygiene maintained to a high standard. As clinicians, it is important to offer parents and carers clear guidance on their children’s oral health from an early stage. The NHS guidelines recommend:
- one-year-olds should have a maximum of 10g of sugar per day
- two- and three-year-olds should have no more than 14g per day
- sugars should not be added to food or drinks given to babies under the age of one. This applies to naturally occurring sugars and added sugars.[i]
It may be difficult for parents and carers to understand which foods are appropriate for their children. Sometimes, foods which appear to be healthy options may actually contain high levels of sugar. Educating those with young children about the risks of sugar for oral health and the value of looking after primary teeth, is very important.
Organic foods or sugary snacks?
A recent report from The Food Foundation brought to light concerns about the ways baby and toddler snacks were promoted. The research was carried out by Action on Salt and Sugar at Queen Mary University of London. It found that, across the packaging of 113 snacks, many claimed to be natural or healthy (28% of claims). Others highlighted the presence or absence of certain ingredients (21%). However, 20% of the products contained high amounts of sugars and 50% contained medium levels of sugar.[ii]
These types of foods and snacks are widely consumed by young children, with parents assuming that they were created based on the dietary needs of babies and toddlers. However, in reality, products that claim to be ‘one of a child’s five a day’ or ‘organic’ and contain ‘no junk’ may actually contain the equivalent of three sugar cubes per serving. This quantity of sugar may put children’s oral health at risk.[iii]
Baby’s first check up
In order to monitor children’s oral health, it is very important that they are brought to the dentist when they are young. The NHS recommends either taking a child to the dentist when their primary teeth first emerge, or before they are one year old. Doing this helps children to become familiar with the dental environment, and get to know their dentist. Even if the child simply opens their mouth so that the practitioner can have a look, it’s good practice.[iv]
At this time, it is a good opportunity to highlight the importance of a healthy diet, and what that looks like for very young children. This might mean advising against sugary snacks, and instead recommending non-sweet vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, and spinach.[v]
Getting used to toothbrushing
Recommending that parents start brushing as soon as their first primary tooth comes through helps them to get used to the process. It’s important that the right technique is used to clean the teeth and that the teeth are cleaned twice per day (morning and night). All of the appropriate advice should be given to parents and carers to ensure their child is receiving the best possible care.[vi]
The NHS recommends using a toothpaste with the appropriate fluoride level for a child’s age, ensuring they get effective protection against cavities. While this guidance is well-known, parents benefit from understanding how the way fluoride is delivered can make a real difference for long-term dental health.[vii]
BioMin® F for Kids is suitable for children aged three and up. Although it contains a lower fluoride level (530ppm) than typical guidelines (1350ppm–1550ppm), its bioactive formulation is designed to gradually release fluoride and essential minerals over 10–12 hours after brushing.
This supports longer-lasting protection of the tooth surface against the frequent acid challenges caused by snacks, drinks and mealtimes throughout the day. The lower fluoride content also helps reduce the risk of accidental ingestion, offering reassurance for parents while still supporting effective cavity prevention.
Choosing a flavour that children find pleasant can also help parents establish consistent twice-daily brushing routines from an early age, supporting lifelong oral health habits.