Letter to the Editor: Avoid sugary snacks/ drinks to maintain oral health

The Dental Health Foundation read with interest the ‘Learner Dad’ article by Pat Fitzpatrick: “As long as other people gave their kids more sugar than we gave ours, we assumed we didn’t have a problem”, about his daughter’s recent experience of tooth decay (Irish Examiner, Feelgood, October 18).

Tooth decay and its treatment is traumatic for a child, it may result in pain, lead to infection and result in hospitalisation and extraction of teeth under general anaesthetic. Those that experience decay in baby teeth are more likely to have future dental problems.