Research shows that 61 percent of five-year-olds in Northern Ireland had signs of decay compared to an average of 43 percent in the rest of the UK.

And that's because we spend more on sugary foods and drinks than anywhere else in the UK, we don't clean our teeth as often as people other countries and we don't have fluoride in our public water.

Previous research from the Health Promotion Agency for Northern Ireland, HPA, shows that nearly three out of four eat biscuits every day, almost half eat sweets on a daily basis and more than a third have sugary drinks daily.

Figures also show that 12-year-olds in the province have more than twice as many decayed teeth compared to the UK average.

“We know that the prime time for dental decay to happen is during childhood when teeth are newer and the enamel softer,” said Angela McComb of the HPA.

“Developing good eating patterns at this time is essential as we know that habits developed in childhood are generally continued into adulthood.”

To try and tackle the trend, the HPA and the Eastern Health and Social Services Board have brought out a new publication, ‘Nutrition and Dental Health: guidelines for professionals', for members of the dental profession outlining advice and help.