A new study has suggested that teenagers who go to bed late on a regular basis have a higher risk of developing dental decay.
The study, published in the International Journal of Dental Hygiene, found that adolescents who prefer to stay up late at night are at a significantly higher risk of tooth decay.
Some children were up to four times as likely to have tooth decay than those who preferred to get their heads down early.
Researchers believe the increased risk is due to night owls neglecting to brush their teeth regularly before bed and frequently skipping breakfast, leading to snacking throughout the day.
The Oral Health Foundation is encouraging parents to ensure their children understand the importance of brushing their teeth before bed and the wider impact tooth decay could have if they fail to do so.
The Foundation’s Dr Nigel Carter said: ‘If you tend to fall asleep before your children evidence suggests there is a real danger that they are not brushing their teeth regularly, or properly.
‘Combined with the resulting lie-in and subsequently skipping breakfast this is a real recipe for disaster when it comes to their oral health and a hugely increased risk of developing tooth decay.
‘Problems in the mouth can affect the way our children communicate, their relationships, development and also their wider general health, so it is vital that they prioritise their oral health.
‘We are encouraging parents to be aware of their children’s oral health habits, even when they are not looking, and try to reinforce the importance of brushing their teeth last thing at night for two minutes with a fluoride toothpaste as well as at one other time during the day.’
Tooth decay happens when the enamel and dentine of a tooth become softened by acid attack after you have eaten or drunk anything containing sugars and are not cleaning your teeth properly.
Over time, the acid makes a cavity (hole) in the tooth and almost always leads to the tooth having to be filled by a dentist, or in extreme cases removed.
In the early stages of dental decay there are no symptoms, but your dental team may be able to spot a cavity in its early stages when they examine or X-ray your teeth. This is why you should visit your dental team regularly, as small cavities are much easier to treat than advanced decay.
