On what seems like a frequent basis, new statistics are being presented highlighting how poor children's dental health is. What many of us often overlook is the significant strides made in the last 30 years. Take the number of children admitted to hospital for dental treatment in 2013-14. Yes the number of children reported on is worryingly large – around 26,000 – but on the whole oral health is improving, with fewer children experiencing dental decay according to the 2013 Children's Dental Health Survey, than just ten years ago.

To help identify and understand some of the issue surrounding children's oral health, we speak to two mums from very different backgrounds about their offspring's teeth.

Harriet Adamson, working mother

I must admit, when I was a child my oral health was never a priority. And I can sort of understand that. Attitudes towards oral health were entirely different when I was growing up. Smoking advertising was still widely prevalent – and accepted – and health warnings were only just being identified. We didn't have power brushes, and teeth were barely covered at school. If you didn't know how to care for your teeth properly, there was very little opportunity to find out.

Fast forward 30 years to my first born, and I was determined to learn from my own experiences. This is often the case with mums, or at least those in my friendship circle. My boy had some problems with the alignment of his teeth, and after having a couple removed, he opted for braces. For me, this highlights the differing approach so many families have now. My husband and I recognised the importance of good oral health, and took steps to ensure that would be the case. I often wonder how many other parents faced with the same situation would even consider that, but then again that is where the problem lies.

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I was fortunate to pick up information from my health visitor early on, who set me on the right path. Their importance is too often overlooked. When you have had your first child your primal instinct as a mother is for their safety and security. You need guidance on how best to establish good health routines, and oral health is no different. I didn't even know I should clean my children's gums, even before their teeth come through. I would hazard a guess I am not alone in this.

I have read a lot in the press surrounding diet and the role of sugar. It is all well and good warning people about the dangers of sugar, but the practicalities are very different. I know children aren't born with a sweet tooth, but I would be very surprised to find anyone – even in the dental profession – who sticks to the advice on sugar. On the one hand we are constantly told about the need to have five portions of fruit and vegetables a day, but on the other we are warned about the potential damage fruit can do to teeth. It is quite a mixed message. I have always given my children fresh and dried fruit. I find fresh fruit and vegetables and a healthy diet more expensive than fast food, so it comes as no surprise to learn that families on low income and in deprived areas of the country have problems with their children's teeth.

So where does this leave me as a mother? When the news broke about the number of children going to hospital to have teeth taken out, I was appalled to read how some experts said it was down to neglect. Some of us just don't know how important it is. Perhaps if these so-called experts spent less time criticising parents and invested more time in educating those in need, maybe we would be hearing about a totally different set of figures.

I firmly believe in the world we live in now more and more families will spend less and less time with their children in the morning and evening due to increased work commitments. Does this mean we spend less time with them during their oral health development? Potentially, yes. Two minutes isn't two minutes when you have to get your child ready for school and encourage them to brush their teeth. It's even worse if you have more than one child. I don't want this to sound like an excuse, but it is a practical problem. I am proud that my children have good oral health. I hope to see my grandchildren have even better oral health than my own children. It's the education that is needed. I'm not an academic or in the dental industry, so family and health visitors are all I had.

Mhari Coxon, dental hygienist

You always want to do the best for your kids. That's a given. The parent generation before us had the bad experiences, had the fillings, had the amalgam, had the bad visits. Those experiences meant those parents always took their kids to the dentist, so their own children didn't have to go through that. There is a gap in the middle class not transferring what they have been taught. To them, good oral health has been taken for granted.

To an extent that ambivalence has been caused by a number of problems. Two parents working long hours and extended care mean your child's eating is pretty much out of your control. For us we had breakfast club, after school club and school dinners to go with that too, so very quickly through no fault of your own you don't know what your child is eating. This leads to a feeling of guilt for being a working parent, and you just want to spoil your child. Children are great at making bad choices when it comes to treats, and you can't say no when you don't see them for long periods of the day.

If you look at things like Jamie Oliver and his school meals campaign, it reassures dental professionals, like myself, who have to rely on schools providing my children with healthy school meals. Education is a big part of what we do, and I would encourage oral health teams to forge links with schools and go in and educate them on good oral health practices. If you leave schools to plan their own meals without some direct intervention, budget will always take precedence. It is more cost effective to give children lower quality food than fresh produce on a daily basis.

Those who do have expendable income often get it wrong too. I have heard so many stories of smoothies and fruit juices available as a healthy option. With a little bit of education, they would know these drinks are actually packed with sugars and are pretty bad for children's oral health. You may as well give them a toffee and let them chew on it for the day.

For busy mums like me, even with the extensive dental background I have, sometimes the balance between what is good for teeth and what is good for the family does not overlap. I know I have to try and provide my three children with five portions of fresh fruit and vegetables a day, but the increased consumer choices we have mean my kids don't always like the same fruit and vegetables as I do. I don't want to be the mum who forces their child to eat brussel sprouts or broccoli, so I let them make up their own minds. If that means fruit bags, which are packed with sugars, then so be it. We try and find compromises. For instance if they would like orange juice, they can have it through a straw.

As a mum I know how much my kids change in six months, which makes the idea of extending the length of time between appointments crazy.

When I heard that almost 26,000 children were admitted to hospital every year due to caries, my first thought was one of neglect. It isn't parents who are trying to do the right thing, or that their best isn't up to scratch. It is those who aren't doing anything at all. It can be dealt with through education, but us as dental professionals might not see those particular children until they have their first brown patch on their teeth. It is too late at this stage. Education is great, but it has to come at the right time. The first conversation about good oral health has to come from the midwife, followed up by the health worker and the dental professional at their first visit. It is difficult to implement an oral hygiene routine for someone who has not been brought up with one.

As a dental mum, implementing good routines for my children wasn't as easy as you'd think. It's still a nightmare. You do have to nag. Even though they know you know what you're talking about and aren't just being a nagging mum – especially in the eyes of teenagers – they don't fully understand the value of doing it so they try to cut corners. They have never had that negative experience, so they do not see the value in good oral health. The initial curriculum at primary school was great. My kids come home full of enthusiasm about teeth and why they needed to keep them clean, but somewhere along the line secondary schools need to take greater responsibility and carry on the education. This is all happening at a time when your children are growing into young adults and making decisions for themselves, so it's crucially important we do that.

In general the problem is always diet.

The dental industry can help to bring about further changes too. As a mum I know how much my kids change in six months, which makes the idea of extending the length of time between appointments crazy. It's not just physical changes, but it can be dietary and habitual changes too. All of these can have a significant effect on teeth, particularly as children are still developing.

My three boys each present their own challenges. My eldest is 17 and has orthodontics. He has been fine under my supervision with a great diet. Of course, given his age he doesn't listen, but the biggest challenge with him is just around the corner. He is about to go to university, and there is always a concern that he might not keep to that regime. University students are quite a high risk group. Many of them visit the dentist when they have just finished university with high caries activity, so I hope he doesn't fit into that bracket by the time he graduates.

My middle one is quite a challenge too. He is autistic, so his attention span is akin to that of a gnat. He often forgets how long he has brushed his teeth for, but he has an electric toothbrush with timer to help.

My youngest is 11 and has a mixed dentition. There are plenty of wobbly ones, which means cleaning is always an issue. In general the problem is always diet. We have a really good one in the house, but not outside. That is where parents need to keep on top of their kids at home as much as possible. It will pay dividends.