Frequent Snacking Harmful to Kids' Teeth

According to an international study, Finnish boys are at the tail-end when it comes to caring for their teeth. Just one-third of Finnish boys brush their teeth twice a day, as recommended by dentists.

Oral surgeon Veikko Tuovinen of the Central Hospital of Central Finland says the situation is extremely worrisome. He says that the number of children who receive general anaesthesia for dental treatments has skyrocketed in recent years.

Experts add that a nation's dental health should improve with time. But the opposite is true in Finland, where consumption of candy and sweets has soared. Furthermore, since the recession of the 1990s, less money has been allocated for dental care. This has resulted in fewer dental checkups, and gaps in dental hygiene education.

YLE