Sweet nostalgia could lead to increase in tooth decay

THE PROLIFERATION of nostalgic sweet shops could lead to an increase in tooth decay, the Irish Dental Association (IDA) annual conference was told.

The number of “olde” sweet shops has increased greatly in recent years as adults renew their acquaintance with the boiled sweets of their childhood.

Dr Michael Crowe, a Dublin-based dentist, told the IDA’s annual conference in Killarney that people must remember that excessive consumption of any food type, but especially sweets, raises dental health and other health issues.

“We don’t want to be killjoys; and dentists, like everyone else, like the occasional sweet. However, there appears to have been a significant increase in the number of these ‘olde’ sweet shops in recent times,” he said.

“Our concern is that there may be a corresponding increase in excessive consumption of sugared confectionery with the associated negative consequences on people’s oral health, including decay and fractured teeth.”

Separately at the conference, the association’s new president, Dr Andrew Bolas, said the row over the advertising of cheese to children demonstrated the need for a chief dental officer.

The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI), which has published a draft code about the commercial promotion of food and drink to children in the broadcast media, included cheese on a list of products that should not be advertised to children, much to the annoyance of the dairy industry.

Dr Bolas said cheese was an important source of calcium, which was “vital” for the growth of healthy teeth, as well as having properties to prevent dental decay.

He told delegates: “This is exactly the kind of debate a chief dental officer would be involved in.”

He also noted a motion at the conference calling on the Department of Health and the BAI to support a science-based approach to dealing with issues pertaining to the role of constituents of diet, both positive and negative, in oral and general health.