The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities has published the findings of their ‘Oral health survey of children in year 6, 2023’.
This survey found that:
- There was wide variation in both prevalence and severity of experience of tooth decay by geographical area. Schoolchildren living in Yorkshire and The Humber were more likely to have experienced tooth decay (23%) compared with children living in the Southwest who were less likely to have experienced tooth decay (12%)
- Year 6 schoolchildren living in the most deprived areas of the country were more than twice as likely to have experience of tooth decay (23%) as those living in the least deprived areas (10%)
- There were also disparities in the prevalence of experience of tooth decay by ethnic group, which was significantly higher in the other ethnic group (22%) and Asian or Asian British ethnic group (18%) than in the white ethnic group (16%) and black or black British ethnic group (13%)
RCPCH Officer for Health Improvement, Dr Helen Stewart, said:
The state of children’s oral health in England is nothing short of egregious. Tooth decay remains the most common reason for hospital admission in children aged between 6 and 10 years and the link between deprivation and decay is undeniable, with children living in lower-income areas more than twice as likely to have tooth decay than their more affluent peers.
Poor oral health is not a trivial matter. It can lead to consistent pain, infections, altered sleep and eating patterns, recurring school absence, decreased wellbeing and even hospitalisation. Much more must be done to tackle this issue.
We can start by implementing supervised tooth brushing schemes in all nurseries and primary schools and ensure all children are seen by a dentist by the age of one to support good oral health development. But if we are ever to make real sustainable change then we must get serious about ending child poverty once and for all.