Figures Show Significant Regional Variations in Children’s Dental Health
Recent figure show significant regional variations in standards of children’s oral health.
Statistics from Public Health England show that rates of decay among five year olds range from 15 per cent in deprived areas to 40 per cent in more affluent parts of the country. Sandra White, director of dental public health at Public Health England, told a select committee that the gap between regions is increasing in size and more needs to be done to tackle soaring rates of decay in poorer areas of England.
Ms White warned that dental problems in early childhood often increases the risk of problems in adulthood and called for preventative measures to be enforced to promote better oral health at an early age and avoid a situation where the majority of children living in poorer communities need dental treatment before they even reach school age.
Dr Barry Cockcroft, chief dental officer for England, said that there have been major improvements in standards of oral health among children in the last few decades. However, there is no room for complacency and the figures show that there are still many areas where decay is a serious issue.
Speaking to the committee, Dr Cockcroft said that so many children in deprived areas need hospital treatment because the symptoms are addressed at a stage when it is too late to offer other remedies. He urged local authorities and the health department to work with dentists to focus on prevention and ensure that parents and children have the information they need to make positive choices, which facilitate good oral health and reduce the risk of decay.
NICE recently recommended measures to tackle increasing rates of decay in deprived areas and called for local authorities to provide education for parents and ensure that dental care, including routine check-ups and preventative services, such as fluoride varnish and fissure sealant treatment, are widely available.
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