UK - Bournemouth - Shock over condition of children’s teeth

Shock over condition of children’s teeth
9:30am Thursday 26th November 2009
By Joanna Codd »
LEVELS of tooth decay among older children in Bournemouth and Poole are worse than the national average, says a report.

Eleven-year-olds in Bournemouth have an average of 0.61 decayed, missing or filled permanent teeth, and Poole an average of 0.53 – both figures higher than the average for England as a whole and for the former Dorset and Somerset strategic health authority.
The report, to the NHS Bournemouth and Poole’s board meeting, says provisional figures indicate that decay levels for five-year-olds may be better than the national average.
But it adds that the most recent figures – as yet unverified – had shown that more than 26 per cent of local children had experienced tooth decay in the area, each having an average of 2.65 decayed teeth.

Among the adult population, around 37 per cent do not seek dental treatment, and are more likely to be affected by dental disease.

The report says those in deprived areas, the disabled and people in care are among those most likely to have poor oral health and access to services. It suggests that in the short-term, improvement could be achieved by using fluoride varnish and toothpaste, particularly in areas of high need.

While there would be “significant” numbers of toothless older people who would need denture care for many years, there would also be more middle-aged and elderly adults needing advanced restorative dental care.

The trust plans a number of measures to tackle inequalities, increase public awareness, and include oral health in general health improvement programmes.