SNP accused of failing to reach dental targets
New figures have revealed that standards of oral health in Scotland are lower than anticipated and opposition parties have accused the Scottish National Party of failing Scottish people.
In 2005 the Labour and Liberal Democrat set out a plan to reduce rates of tooth decay and promote good oral health so that more people could keep their natural teeth for longer; they set a target, which aimed to ensure that 90 percent of adults had some of their natural teeth in 2010. However, figures released in the last couple of days show that the target has not been reached, with only 88 percent of people possessing some of their own teeth.
Ross Finnie, spokesperson for the Liberal Democrat said that the SNP had failed to reach targets and was failing the Scottish people. One in eight people are missing all their natural teeth and the statistics have shown no improvement over the course of the last three years. Figures relating to older women are particularly concerning, with 16 percent of women aged between 55 and 64 without any of their own teeth. Mr Finnie also claims that the Liberal Democrat party have consistently encouraged the SNP to increase the number of dentists across Scotland and improve access to services in more remote areas.
The results of the study show that almost 30 percent of Scottish adults have fewer than 20 natural teeth, meaning they are missing a significant number of teeth.
A spokesperson from the Scottish government denied that the government was failing to deliver high standards of dental care and claimed that the figures showed that standards of oral health are being maintained. Over the last three years, NHS patient numbers have increased significantly and the number of dentists working in Scotland has increased by 370.
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