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In England alone, 23.4 per cent of five-year-olds are estimated to have “visually obvious” dental decay[ii] – though this figure jumps substantially to 92.5 per cent in specific regions. Indeed, oral health inequalities remain rife across the UK, making patient education and improved access to dental care a priority for dental teams everywhere.

There are many potential causes of dental caries and the consequences of continued attack on the enamel can be severe for patients if left untreated. Among the most common modifiable risk factors is diet, so helping patients to protect their teeth with improved food and drink consumption is a key focus for the dental team. Acidic attack and enamel erosion is worsened by consuming high levels of carbohydrate and sugar, which alters the pH of the mouth, facilitating demineralisation and resulting in caries. According to the World Health Organization, dietary intake of more than 15-20kg per year of free sugars increases caries risk.[iii]