We strongly believe that every child in the UK, from the age of nursery through to the end of high school should be offered Xylitol tablets after their breaks and after lunch. Dental health in the UK is amongst the worst in the developed world. Dental problems in under 18's costs the NHS billions of pounds and causes untold pain and suffering for the children and parents alike. Preventative measure cost less, put less strain on the NHS and improve the quality of life for everyone using Xylitol.
Bad Oral Hygiene at School
In order to try and persuade the UK government to follow the lead of other European countries we will begin to petition for Xylitol to be made free and given out to all children aged 3 and above at private or public school. Cleaning your teeth after a snack after break-time or lunch isn't practical at school and we can sympathise with the reluctance for gum to be given out at school because of the mess that would be caused. This is why we propose that a small 'sweet' is given to each child after a break with food to help protect the teeth of the child.
Xylitol 'Sweets'
The Xylitol 'sweets' are small, white candies about the size of a tic-tac or breath mint. They dissolve rapidly on the tongue and reduce the harmful bacteria in the mouth. They are sugar free, contain only a couple of calories each and unlike most sweets, are good for teeth! Xylitol sweets are given to children from nursery age upwards in Scandinavian nurseries and schools after snacks time and after lunch. These Nordic States' Government buy enormous amounts of Xylitol in bulk to keep prices down and to ensure all children recive their daily Xylitol when they can't brush their teeth.
Get Involved
In order to try and persuade the UK government to follow the lead of other European countries we will begin to petition for Xylitol to be made free and given out to all children aged 3+ in both private and public schools. Brushing their teeth after a snack at break-time or after lunch is impossible and we cant always rely on our children to do a good job when brushing their teeth. Chewing gum would inevitably leave a mess and also poses a chocking hazard. Handing out a single xylitol 'sweet' which rapidly dissolves on the tongue after food would let them bring down the pH of their mouth and destroy harmful bacteria in a matter of seconds.
Healthier Teeth
Xylitol is safe and proven to lower cavities in users. Countries using Xylitol to promote oral health have reported up to 40% less cavities in children compared to countries where Xylitol is not widely used. Britain has one of the worst records of tooth decay in children under 14 and Xylitol can help towards revering this disturbing trend. Watching a child struggle with tooth pain is hard for any parent and even more difficult for the child. As adults we can endure the stress of the dentist and can overcome our fear of being injected and having a tooth removed but for children we believe this is unacceptable.