More than a quarter of Birmingham children have decayed teeth
A new study has revealed that more than a quarter of children in Birmingham have decayed teeth.
Research conducted by the Nuffield Trust shows that rates of decay are significantly higher in the West Midlands city than in other parts of the country, most notably the South West and South East with the exception of London.
Birmingham MP, Steve McCabe, has raised concerns about the state of oral health in the city in the House of Commons, and the latest figures underline the extent of the problem local MPs, health boards and dental professionals are trying to tackle. Figures from 2009 show that 1 in 11 people in Birmingham don’t have any natural teeth, and the Selly Oak MP suggests that there has been little improvement in the last decade. Speaking in the House of Commons, Mr McCabe said that 29 percent of 5-year-olds in the city have rotten teeth. This figure is much higher than the national average.
According to the latest statistics used by the Nuffield Trust, Birmingham children aged 5 are three and a half times more likely to have decayed teeth than children living in South West Surrey. Hospital admissions for children requiring treatment dental issues in Birmingham have also doubled in the last ten years.
Figures for Birmingham are alarming, but they are not the worst in the country. In some parts of the North West, 34 percent of 5-year-olds have decayed, filled or missing teeth.
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