Deprived Children at Significantly Higher Risk Of Dental Decay

Fri, 07 Jan 2011

Children from the poorest families in Scotland are almost twice as likely to suffer tooth decay as those from the wealthiest, according to new figures.

A report complied by experts from NHS Tayside and Dundee's dental health services research unit reveals that the overall the proportion of children with no obvious signs of dental decay has reached a record high of 64 per cent - beating the government's target.

However, this figure falls to just 45 per cent for those in the poorest 10th of the population. By comparison, 81 per cent of children in the best-off group are decay-free.

The report notes, "The majority of dental disease continues to be borne by children from more deprived backgrounds."

Around 12,700 children across Scotland of average age five were examined for the research, including 769 in Tayside and 704 in Fife. Some 64.8 per cent of Tayside children had no obvious decay, while the figure was 59.7 per cent in Fife - just under the national target of 60 per cent.

The children in both areas with decay had an average of four teeth decayed, missing or filled (DMF).

The report said: "While the level of NHS dental registration among children is improving, there are still P1 children not registered with an NHS dental practice."

"Since 2005 the Scottish Government has supported dental public health and targeted clinical initiatives for children under the collective programme name of Childsmile. These initiatives now seem to be bringing an improvement in the oral health of young children."

Graham Ball, chairman of the Scottish dental epidemiology co-ordinating committee, said the results were "extremely encouraging."

He said, "Each of the four reports on P1 children since 2003 has shown continuing improvements in dental health of this age group."

"In 2003 only 45 per cent of P1 children had no decay experience against 64 per cent in 2010 - the best dental health level for P1 children in Scotland since records began."
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