Making sure children have healthy, non-sugary food in their lunchboxes could prevent a need for emergency dentistry later in life.
This is the advice of Alison Lowe, writing for the Western Mail, who said that when sugars and carbohydrates dominate the diet, the risk of tooth decay is dramatically increased.
"Some bacteria in the mouth use sugar as food to produce an acid, which is strong enough to dissolve enamel and cause tooth decay," she explained.
Ms Lowe recommended avoiding fizzy drinks and diluting fruit juices to make them less damaging, as well as opting for yoghurts that have more fruit in them than sugar.
Water and one piece of fruit are ideal for lunchtime, Ms Lowe said, although fruits which stick to teeth should be avoided.
Brushing twice a day should also help children to avoid emergency dentistry.
Earlier this month, AllVoices.com recommended that parents whose children are going trick or treating for Halloween should send them out with a bottle of water, as this can prevent sugary sweets from attacking enamel.
