The number of five-year-olds with tooth decay has dropped to its lowest level in almost a decade, according to a PHE oral health survey.
The oral health survey published by Public Health England (PHE) reveals that less than 25 per cent of the cohort suffers from tooth decay, a 20 per cent drop since 2008.
This continues the downward trend seen since 2008, in the first oral health survey of five-year-olds asking parents to opt-in. In 2008, 31 per cent of five-year-olds suffered tooth decay; in 2012 it was 27 per cent. The pattern of dental health improvement among the age group shows the impact parents and carers can have in establishing good dental care habits from an early age.
Dr. Sandra White, Director of Dental Public Health at PHE, said:
This is great news. However, one child with tooth decay is one too many and there is still much inequality in dental health around the country. Tooth decay is painful and too often results in teeth extraction, some under general anaesthetic.
This is further evidence that we can stop tooth decay in its tracks. Limiting sugary food and drink, supporting children to brush their teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and regular trips to the dentist, will help prevent a great many more children suffering at the hands of tooth decay.
According to the survey an estimated 166,467 five-year-olds suffer from tooth decay, compared with 177,423 in 2008.
While there has been a significant decline in tooth decay at a national level, there is still a great deal of regional variation. In the North West, a third (33.4 per cent) of five-year-olds suffer from tooth decay, whereas only a fifth (20.1 per cent) do in the in the South East. As with the two previous surveys, areas with higher levels of deprivation tend to have higher levels of tooth decay.
The proportion of five-year-olds who have had teeth removed due to decay was 2.5 per cent, compared to 3.5 per cent in 2008 – about 2,000 fewer children. Regional variation shows that only 1.9 per cent of five-year-olds in the East Midlands have had tooth extractions due to decay, compared with 3.9 per cent of children in Yorkshire and the Humber.
The survey also shows the average number of teeth affected by decay per child was 0.8, down from 1.1 in 2008. For the first time, data has also been collected across the survey on ethnicity and dental health.
The last three surveys have shown the dental health of five-year olds is improving. There has been a 9 per cent increase in the proportion of children with no obvious decay since 2008. Further analysis is needed to understand the factors that have contributed to this welcome trend. This will help local authorities identify the steps they can take to extend the improvement in decay levels to all sectors of their populations.
