Grimsby children are almost three times more likely to need teeth extracting, figures reveal
Children living in Grimsby are three times more likely to need teeth extracting than children living in other parts of the country, figures have revealed.
Statistics show that 407 children were admitted to hospital for dental treatment in 2015/2016; this represents a rate of 119 children per 10,000. This rate is almost 3 times the national average for England, which is 42.7 per 10,000 children.
Figures show that nationally, the rate of children requiring full dental clearance under general anaesthetic in hospital was the highest in a decade. In 2015/2016, 86 children were admitted including 42 cases involving children under the age of 5 years old. A further 7 children required lower dental clearance and 37 underwent upper dental clearance.
The figures from NHS Digital revealed a slight fall in the total number of extractions involving multiple teeth from 2014/2015.
Almost all cases of childhood decay are preventable, and the statistics will make for alarming reading for local dentists. The advice for parents from experts is to encourage a low-sugar diet, to supervise teeth cleaning at home, and to arrange regular dental check-ups.
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