One of the first and most important lessons new parents learn is to care for their children's teeth. When the child begins to cry more than usual or drool excessively, it often means that his teeth are coming in. There are dozens of home and over-the-counter remedies to ease the pain. But when children begin to brush on their own, parents must stress the importance of proper dental care.

Most parents do so conscientiously, but tooth decay remains a common problem. One quarter of children in the UK aged 2-5 suffer some form of tooth decay. As you might expect, the most common complaint is a simple cavity. Things get worse when children turn into teens. One half of teenagers aged 12-15 are treated for tooth decay. The condition can cause discomfort, weight loss, pain, and absence from school.

What can parents do? With young children it's a lot easier because most of them listen and mom or dad prepares most of their meals. But with teenagers it's nearly impossible for parents to keep track of what their kids put in their mouths. A cosmetic dentistry guide could help.

Our advice is to reduce the amount of sugar you keep in your cupboard. As you know, sugar is the main culprit behind tooth decay in children, and as kids grow more independent in their teen years they will inevitably eat more meals away from home.

How much sugar should you remove? Start by assuming that your child eats sugary foods every time he eats outside of the home, because that is what most teenagers do. If your teen only eats one meal a day somewhere else, keeping some sugar in the cupboard is just fine. But if your teen eats out every chance he gets, cutting out the sugary snacks is a must.