A recent report from the UK threw up some interesting statistics, The National Smile Month report of 2018 (Atomik Research) found that there had been a significant increase in remuneration for children donating their baby teeth to the fairy kingdom via their traditional "pillow exchange sysytem".
It's not always straight forward to extrapolate UK data to Ireland, but when you do in this case the numbers are interesting. In Ireland last year roughly one million baby teeth were lost naturally by exfoliation (falling out), or dental extraction. The average payout for a baby tooth in the "pillow exchange system" in the UK was £1.58 or €1.76 at today's exchange rate, equating to a €1.76m industry.
Children need to understand the value of what it is that they are placing under their pillow late at night, whilst the excitement of seeing what the fairies have left is a thrill for all children, they need to also understand the actual importance of the teeth whilst they still have them. There are currently 3600 children on waiting lists for dental extraction under full anaesthesia, and these are due to severe dental decay, an entirely preventable and painful condition.
We would recommend; a first dental appointment before the age of one, brushing twice daily with fluoridated toothpaste (this should be done by parents until the child is 6-7), reduction of sugary snacks between meals, and regular annual check-ups with your dentist. Based on your annual check-up the Dr Sarah or Will Rymer may recommend a slightly different approach tailored to your child's needs based on their risk of tooth decay.
This article was based on an article that appeared on the Oral Health Foundation website in June 2018, and based on research by Atomik research for National Smile Month 2018.
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