Nutrition & oral health

Key Points

  • Frequent consumption of sugar containing foods and drinks is the most important cause of tooth decay.
  • The National Health & Lifestyle Surveys (Slan and HBSC) reported that over 40% of teenagers are consuming high fat and high sugar foods three or more times daily.
  • Rising consumption of soft drinks is displacing milk in the diet of teenage girls which can lead to an increased risk of osteoporosis in later life.
  • Poor nutrition is a 'shared common risk factor' for cardiovascular, cancer, and oral diseases.
  • Diet and dental health should be promoted as part of general nutrition advice.

The single most important factor in relation to diet and dental caries is the frequency with which sugar-containing foods and drinks are consumed. The advice offered in relation to dental health should be based on reduction of between-meal snacking of sugary foods and drinks. The Food and Nutrition Policy guidelines recommend that frequent consumption throughout the day of foods containing sugar should be avoided especially by children.

It further recommends that while a high energy intake is required for growth by adolescents (and this increases meal frequency), this should not be associated with frequent consumption of foods/drinks high in sugar throughout the day.