Brits warned that excessive game playing could harm teeth.
Research has been published which claims that playing excessive amounts of video games could be responsible for a rise in poor oral health in children.
A study by the University of Iowa revealed that children who are “heavy gamers” have, in general, a diet which is conducive to tooth decay.
The report stated that children who have more strictly controlled gaming tames have better oral health overall, possibly due to the provision of more regular meals.
Elsewhere, the North West Public Health Observatory recently published research showing children in East Lancashire have the worst teeth in England.
The report revealed that 51 per cent of 1,232 children aged five examined in the Blackburn with Darwen area were found to have either missing teeth or signs of serious tooth decay.
Roy Davies, chairman of Blackburn with Darwen’s health scrutiny committee, said: “We brought in an advisor on this a while back and we have put measures in place. We have got people who go into schools and teach children about toothcare.”