Get ready to catch the Sugar Bandit in your family - Dental Health Week 2014 - Babies and Toddlers

The Australian Dental Association (ADA) wants all parents and children to ask each other this year: "Who is the Sugar Bandit in our family?"

August 4 – 10 is Dental Health Week (DHW), the ADA's major annual oral health promotion and education campaign. DHW 2014 is focused on babies and toddlers' oral health, with a particular focus on how the 'Sugar Bandit' hides in Australian households.

Chair of the Oral Health Committee, Dr Peter Alldritt said: "It's common for parents and extended family to offer children a 'treat' to reward good behaviour or simply in response to children's 'pester power'. Using food to reward, bribe or to comfort children sends an inappropriate message about food from an early age and undermines other efforts to build healthy eating habits. Children who consume high sugary foods and drinks on a regular basis are at greater risk of dental decay as well as obesity and diabetes.

Family and friends can literally spoil your kids rotten if sugary treats are given every time they spend time with your kids. Parents need to understand the risks and put some boundaries around access to treats. When rewards are given, parents should ask, is there a better option?

Every time we eat, our teeth are exposed to an acid attack. The bacteria in our mouths (plaque) ferment the food to make acid, and if teeth are exposed to this acid long enough cavities develop - this is known as tooth decay. Consumption of sugary foods and drinks on a regular basis is the number one cause of tooth decay.

Dr Alldritt continued: "Parents do not have to take the fun out of rewarding their kids altogether; there are plenty of other ways that don't include food."

Sometimes the Sugar Bandit may not know they are harming your kid's teeth. In fact the scariest part is that many snacks that are marketed as 'healthy' are actually high in sugar and get stuck in kids' teeth, increasing acid attacks which cause decay. Because parents think these snacks are healthy, they often allow their children to graze on them all day which makes things worse. Some of the major 'healthy' snack culprits are: dried fruit, biscuits (sweet and savoury), fruit juice, muesli bars, children's cereals, flavoured milk, sweetened yoghurt, fruit bars, fruit slice, flavoured popcorn, canned fruit, baked goods and banana bread.

However Dr Alldritt was quick to add: "Don't worry; it's not all bad news. No one is saying that your children should never be allowed to eat these foods again. Rather, when choosing snacks, be aware of how much sugar is in them, but more importantly, reduce the number of times they eat these foods and make sure they are eaten in one go and preferably as part of a meal. Grazing should be avoided. Only allow high sugar snacks in moderation."

The ADA has a website dedicated to DHW 2014 for babies and toddlers (www.dentalhealthweek.com.au), which has a range of materials that can help parents, relatives, teachers, child care providers and health professionals and health promoters.

Please keep an eye out for Dental Health Week starting from 4 August this year. Do your bit to catch the Sugar Bandits in your household!" Dr Alldritt concluded.

Some fast facts:

What the sugar bandit does to teeth

• Tooth decay is the most common chronic disease for children, even though it is entirely preventable.
• The number one cause of tooth decay is the consumption of sugary foods and drinks on a regular basis.
• Almost half of Australian parents (47%) have had their children experience symptoms of tooth decay in the past 12 months including toothache (23%), sensitive teeth (16%) and infection (10%).
• Nearly 60% of Australian children over 8 years of age have had a filling or became aware they had tooth decay.

Are YOU a sugar bandit?

• Australians consume more than double the world's average 17 teaspoons of sugar intake (per person, per day).
• 72% of Australian parents find it difficult to get their children to eat less sugary foods.
• 33% of Australian parents admitted to allowing their children to have soft drinks/fruit juice and energy drinks 4 or more times a week.

Are you letting the Sugar Bandit get the upper hand?

• 59% of Australian parents believe they are doing everything they can to prevent their child from getting tooth decay.
• 39% of Australian parents believe they need to set a better example for their kids when it comes to oral healthcare.
• Less than 10% of Australian parents believe their child should first visit the dentist before they turn one.
• Nearly 50 % of Australian parents believe getting cavities just happens to all children.
• 49% of Australians forget to brush before bed.
• 59% of Australian parents find it difficult to get their children to brush their teeth twice a day.