- 01/03/2018
- Posted by:
- Category: Dentistry
Change4Life
The toolkit is part of the Department for Health’s campaign called “Change4Life”. The aim is of this campaign is to get people to eat healthier and live longer.
Part of the Change4Life campaign is the slogan “100 calorie snacks, two a day max”. In other words, children should eat just two snacks per day, with each snack containing 100 calories or less. The hope is that this will combat obesity and dental decay in children. By eating low calories snacks, children will avoid eating a lot of sugar, because it’s the high-calorie snacks that are often the highest in sugar.
The campaign is sorely needed because England is experiencing a crisis when it comes to sugar. The average child eats three times more sugar than the recommended amount, which leads to dental decay. In fact, tooth decay is the most common reason for why children are admitted to hospitals in the UK. The culprit of tooth decay is often unhealthy snacks such as biscuits, cakes, sweets, chocolate bars, and ice creams. Children also need to reduce their intake of sugary drinks such as fizzy pop and fruit juices.
Tesco and Co-op are supporting the campaign by making it easy for parents to choose snacks that contain 100 calories or less.
Tips for good oral health
If you can’t wait to see the ‘Top tips for teeth’ resources at SA Benson, then you can read some tips right now at the British Dental Association website.
The tips include:
- Reduce the amount of sugary snacks you eat.
- Brush your teeth twice a day.
- Choose the right amount of fluoride in your toothpaste. Children up to three years old should use a toothpaste with a fluoride level of at least 1000ppm. Children aged from three to six years old should use a toothpaste containing more than 1000ppm. Adults and children six years and older should use a toothpaste containing between 1350ppm-1500ppm.
- Visit your dentist regularly.
- Beware of foods and drinks that seem healthy but are actually high in sugar. Fruit juice and dried fruit are two examples. That’s why you should drink fruit juice in small quantities and only at meal times.
