Tooth decay, as we all know, is caused by plaque collecting, in particular, around the gum line, the edges of fillings and the grooved surfaces of the teeth. When someone consumes food and drink high in carbohydrates – particularly sugary foods and drinks – the bacteria in plaque turn the carbohydrates into energy they need, producing acid at the same time. 
Plaque is made up of food debris, saliva and bacteria normally present in the mouth and, according to the BBC, the acids generated by bacteria breaking food down can begin to attack tooth enamel within 20 minutes of a meal.
The number of children in England having their teeth removed because of decay has increased for the fourth year in a row, new figures suggest. In 2014-15 there were 33,781 cases of children, aged 10 and under, needing the removal of one or more teeth – a rise of 3% on the previous year.
The Chief Dental Officer for NHS England, Sara Hurley, described the figures as ‘disappointing’.
According to statistics collated by the Health and Social Care Information Centre, there has been a steady rise in the number of children needing tooth extractions since 2011-12.
Hurley said children in England drank more sugary drinks than anywhere in Europe.
“Even though people understand the impact of a sugary diet so many children have advanced tooth decay – a highly preventable disease. We are also creating a legacy of obesity and significant health problems,” she said.
Clinical hypnotherapy can help and the National Council for Hypnotherapy (NCH) has more than 1,800 qualified therapists on its directory who are trained to help in weight management.
One of the most effective outcomes of hypnotherapy is managing weight loss through the correct diet and better meal portions. Instead of just reducing calories, hypnotherapy gets the person in touch with the reasons why they unconsciously eat or snack.
Following weight management sessions, the hypnotherapist can help the client to understand why they snack, eat the wrong foods or over eat and help create new healthy self-management techniques.
With the client, the therapist will draw up a programme to teach them to feel good about themselves, no matter their size and the programme will focus on making healthy changes to the diet and lifestyle that will be permanent.
The NHS says tooth decay is caused by the amount of sugar in sweet food and drinks, and how often teeth come into contact with sugar. It suggests giving children water, lower-fat milks, diet, sugar-free and no-added-sugar drinks instead of sugary drinks such as squash and fizzy drinks.
Sugar addiction can start at an early age and hypnotherapy can help break such addictions.
The NCH has a directory which lists all currently active NCH-registered hypnotherapists. To find one near you, simply click here and enter your post code as required.