Aline Gatesi is only five years old but two of her canine teeth have already been removed. Her mother, Patricia Mbabazi, says a doctor advised them to take out the teeth because tooth cavities had damaged them beyond repair.

"I blame all this on her father who used to bring her a bunch of sweets and chocolates almost daily when she was aged three. Whenever he failed to bring them, our daughter cried the whole night,” says Mbabazi, adding that her husband didn’t know the consequences these goodies would have on their daughter.

According to dentists, consuming sweet stuff regularly without exercising good oral hygiene is the main cause of most dental problems.

Epimak Kayiranga, a dentist at the University Teaching Hospital (CHUK), says some sweets have a high content of sugar that can destroy teeth in a very short period of time, especially if one has poor oral hygiene.

He explains that the process of a tooth decaying is dictated by three major factors, namely; time, bacteria and sugar.

"Sweets tend to stick around the teeth or its bases. And the stickier they are, the higher the risk they pose. When the sugar is left on the tooth, the bacteria feeds on it and decomposes it into acid, which weakens the tooth over time, later causing cavity formation,” says Kayiranga.

Didier Rwamamara, a dentist at Dental Clinic in Gishushu, concurs with Kayiranga, explaining that everyone has bacteria in the mouth called streptococcus that feed on sugar, which causes the teeth to decay.

"Making a habit of consuming sweets can accelerate the decaying process even within 12 hours if you don’t brush your teeth well. Sweets are made of refined white sugar, and when left to accumulate on the surface of the teeth, decaying occurs within no time,” he explains.

However, Rwamamara insists that maintaining good hygiene is helpful in keeping the harmful bacteria at bay.

According to Dr Rachna Pandey, an internal medic at Ruhengeri Hospital, the bacteria tend to grow over the remnant particles left on the teeth by sugar from the sweets, which causes plagues. This later leads to infection of the gums, root of the teeth and surrounding structures.

She points out that the recurrent infection and inflammation can further cause chronic swelling and pain of gums, noting that the roots can become weak or tooth decay which can cause the tooth to fall out.

Pandey explains that most sweets contain calories that can increase ones weight if consumed in excess.

"Generally, most sweets have no nutritional value at all; they only increase calories when consumed too much.

The calories enhance the level of lipids in the blood, deposition of fat over blood vessels and are a risk factor for hypertension, as well as diabetes and heart problems,” she says.

What is good oral hygiene?

Rwamamara says that most people brush their teeth for the sake of brushing; noting that it’s how the bacteria get to feed on the sugar left around the teeth which results into dental problems.

"Normally, brushing the teeth once per day is enough, but it’s always recommended to do it twice because most people don’t know how to go about it. One should take at least two minutes brushing the teeth,” he says. "The tooth brush should be soft; bristles should not be worn out. Ideally, teeth should be brushed after every meal; if that is not possible, then the mouth should be rinsed adequately with water or mouth wash.”

Pande adds that brushing before sleeping is essential because for 7-8 hours overnight, the teeth remain in contact with bacteria and the harmful acids released by them.

"Regular dental flossing helps to remove any residual particles or plagues that may have been left,” she says.

Pande, however, warns against picking teeth saying it tends to increase the gap between teeth, making them more prone to food particles sticking over teeth and gums.

Tooth picking also irritates the gums and if the tooth pick is not clean, there is increased risk of infection.