More than 40% of Children Haven’t Seen a Dentist for at Least a Year
New statistics from NHS Digital have revealed that more than 40 percent of children in England haven’t seen a dentist in over a year. According to the figures, 6.7 million children visited their dentists for a check-up between June 2015 and June 2016. This equates to 57.9 percent of children living in England.
The British Dental Association has described the figures as “embarrassing” and issued a reminder of the importance of going to the dentist at least once a year. NHS dental care is available free of charge for children, yet tooth decay is the leading cause of hospital admissions among children.
The figures showed significant regional differences in attendance levels. In the the north, 62 percent of children saw a dentist in the 12 month period leading up to June 2016, compared to just 48 percent in London.
Despite the negative figures relating to uptake of dental check-ups, there was some more positive news. The number of fluoride varnish treatments provided to children increased by 20 percent. Fluoride varnish is a preventative treatment that helps to strengthen the tooth enamel. It can decrease the risk of childhood decay significantly.
Henrik Overgaard-Nielsen, from the British Dental Association, said it is evident that there are problems if a third of children are failing to see a dentist once a year. He accused the government of leaving the NHS to “fend for itself” and called for more to be done to make dental health a priority.
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