Standards of oral health improve in Surrey, as rates of childhood decay fall
Standards of oral health are improving in Surrey, according to recent research conducted by Public Health England.
The latest statistics show that 13 percent of children in the county have signs of decay. This is more than 10 percent lower than the national average. The latest figure for childhood decay also represents a decrease of 3.9 percent since 2014/2015.
New statistics from PHE showed that 140 out of 1,071 5-year-olds had noticeable signs of decay. This equates to 13 percent, which is significantly lower than the national average of 23.3 percent.
Surrey was the second best performing region, with Cambridgeshire taking the title for the lowest rate of decay with a figure of 12.9 percent.
The research showed a significant divide between the North and the South, with some areas, including Rochdale, Salford and Knowsley boasting unenviable rates of almost 50 percent.
The seven areas where rates were lower than 15 percent are all located within the South, while many of the worst-performing areas are located in the North West.
Experts have blamed rising rates of decay on excessive sugar consumption, poor uptake of dental services and poor dental hygiene. The British Dental Association has labelled the situation a “crisis.”
Recently, PHE launched a campaign to educate parents and children about healthy snacking after it emerged that a large proportion of kids were exceeding the recommended daily intake of sugar through snacks alone. Health experts have also set up a scheme to encourage parents to take young children to see the dentist on a regular basis.
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