More than half of Peterborough’s 5-year-olds have dental problems
More than half of 5-year-olds in Peterborough have dental problems, according to new figures.
Data from the National Epidemiology Programme suggest that over 50% of 5-year-olds in the town have enamel wear or more serious issues, including dental decay.
Children are encouraged to attend routine check-ups every 6-12 months from the age of 12 months old but the study shows that just 245 of the 3,312 children based in Peterborough who were involved in the survey went to the dentist in 2021/2022. This equates to just 7.4%. The study covered mainstream state schools.
Of the children analysed as part of the survey, 56.4% were found to have enamel or dentin wear and 29.7% had tooth decay. The figures were higher than the national average for England. Of the 62,600 children involved across England, 29.3% had enamel or dentin wear and 23.7% had dental decay. The study represents a snapshot of the picture across England, with data analysed from around 9% of 5-year-olds.
Chair of the Local Government Association’s community wellbeing board, David Fothergill, said that tooth decay was one of the most common health issues affecting children and young people and highlighted the impact on general health, mental well-being and performance at school.
Rates of dental disease and decay are already high and they are expected to increase in the months and years ahead due to NHS access issues and a widening gap between deprived communities and more affluent areas, Mr Fothergill added. He called on government ministers to act quickly to tackle dental health problems among children and reduce rates of childhood obesity.
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