Sir - The corollary of the huge increase in cereal eating by our young people (May 10th) has been a marked increase in dental decay, directly attributable to this addiction.
This is particularly true if the cereal being eaten is one of these new age honey and sugar coated cereals, but even the ordinary varieties are damaging if sufficient sugar is added to them. Cereals stick into the fissures and valleys of the posterior chewing teeth and are difficult to brush out thoroughly. It is on these surfaces that the decay occurs and, because the cereal goes everywhere, decay quite often affects a number of teeth, as opposed to sweet eating induced decay, which generally just attacks the tooth against which the sweet is held. Particularly damaging is the habit of eating these cereals for supper because, once asleep, saliva, the body's natural alkaline neutraliser against the acids from sugar, is no longer produced. The absence of this natural protection allows any sugary food sticking to the teeth to do their utmost damage.
Obviously, it is advisable that sugary cereals be avoided at night and that any supper food be eaten at least a half hour before going to bed to give the saliva a chance to neutralise the sugar acids and that bedtime brushing be very thorough. As a general rule, any sticky, sugary cereal should be cleaned off the teeth straight away, as most of the sugar acid damage is done in the first 20 minutes.
Finally, next week being Dental Health Week, where the emphasis is very much on prevention, and by way of negating our unwarranted nefarious reputation, no charge is being made or sought for the above advice! - Yours, etc.,
Community dental surgeon,
County Clinic,
Navan,
Co Meath.