Fizzy drinks take toll on toddlers' teeth

Toddlers as young as 18 months are having rotting teeth pulled out, and in some cases older children are having all of their baby teeth removed in major operations.

Dr Sophie Beaumont, a dentist at the Royal Dental Hospital Melbourne, said some children were presenting with blackened teeth and pus-filled gums, suspected to be caused by soft drinks and high-sugar diets.

Frequent fizzy drinks and other drinks high in sugar such as cordials or fruit juices were the main culprit for large-scale decay, she said.

The Australian Dental Association's Prof David Manton said as many as 1000 children each year were having a general anaesthetic to have rotten teeth taken out, of whom 10% were then returning later to have more removed because their diet had not improved.

Almost 165,000 children received dental care from Dental Health Services Victoria in the past financial year, many of them for tooth decay.

Meanwhile the ADA and the Dietitians Association of Australia have joined forces to help promote National Nutrition Week, saying that not only are vegetables a crucial part of a healthy diet, but they’re good for your teeth as well.