UK - Britain's bad teeth on the mend figures show
Britain's bad teeth on the mend figures show
By Rebecca Smith, Medical Editor 5:30PM GMT 08 Dec 2010
In 1978 more than one in four adults had none of their natural teeth left but this had dropped to one in 16 by last year.
The British have a reputation abroad for having bad teeth but the figures show that dental health has improved dramatically in the last generation.
More people are now going to their dentist regularly than in the 1970s but still two in five admit they do not get their teeth checked regularly.
New dental regulation is waste of money: dentists 16 Nov 2010
The Government could save money by scrapping unnecessary new dental quango 16 Nov 2010
The survey also found that more than one in ten people suffer extreme anxiety before visiting the dentist with the problem more common among women than men.
Dental health was worse in Wales than in England or Northern Ireland. The survey was not conducted in Scotland.
The survey was conducted among a total of more than 11,000 people in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, by the Office for National Statistics and is the biggest dental survey conducted for ten years.
Tim Straughan, chief executive of the NHS Information Centre, said: "This survey shows dental health has improved in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and the condition of people's teeth overall has got much better since this survey was first carried out in 1968.
"However it does show there is variation in dental health between England, Wales and Northern Ireland, as well as in the percentage of our populations who see a dentist regularly.
"The survey also suggests that more than one in 10 of us are extremely anxious about being in the dentist's chair."
Ian O’Sullivan, from ONS, said: “Just over half (51 per cent) of adults who had ever been to the dentist were classified as having low or no dental anxiety, but over a third (36 per cent) were classified as having moderate dental anxiety, and 12 per cent of adults were shown to have ‘extreme anxiety’.
“The survey shows that, although Wales still has more serious dental problems than England, the overall picture of the state of the three nations’ teeth has greatly improved since the first Adult Dental Health Survey was conducted in 1968.
"The majority of adults, 71 per cent, had no decay on the crowns of their teeth. And three-fifths, 61 per cent, of adults in England with at least one natural tooth attended the dentist for regular check-ups, compared to 44 per cent in 1978.”
Professor Damien Walmsley British Dental Association scientific sdviser, said: “This survey confirms that the condition of people's teeth overall has got much better since this survey was first carried out. Fluoride toothpaste, greater awareness of the importance of a healthy diet and regular visits to the dentist have all undoubtedly contributed to the better dental health we see in adults today.
“While the growing number of patients retaining more of their teeth into later life is, of course, excellent news, this improvement brings its own challenges. The way that teeth are cared for will need to evolve to ensure that these challenges are met.”
A Department of Health spokesman said: "Even though there have been improvements in adults' oral health, there is more that can and should be done to tackle persistent inequalities.
"As set out in the NHS White Paper, we are committed to introducing a new dental contract to improve the quality of care and address the issue of access. We have set up a national steering group to drive this work forward, with the aim of publishing pilot proposals before the end of the year."
Wales is not fluoridated and only 10% have lost all their teeth. In the US, which is 70% fluoridation, 18% have lost all their teeth:NYSCOF
By Rebecca Smith, Medical Editor 5:30PM GMT 08 Dec 2010
In 1978 more than one in four adults had none of their natural teeth left but this had dropped to one in 16 by last year.
The British have a reputation abroad for having bad teeth but the figures show that dental health has improved dramatically in the last generation.
More people are now going to their dentist regularly than in the 1970s but still two in five admit they do not get their teeth checked regularly.
New dental regulation is waste of money: dentists 16 Nov 2010
The Government could save money by scrapping unnecessary new dental quango 16 Nov 2010
The survey also found that more than one in ten people suffer extreme anxiety before visiting the dentist with the problem more common among women than men.
Dental health was worse in Wales than in England or Northern Ireland. The survey was not conducted in Scotland.
The survey was conducted among a total of more than 11,000 people in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, by the Office for National Statistics and is the biggest dental survey conducted for ten years.
Tim Straughan, chief executive of the NHS Information Centre, said: "This survey shows dental health has improved in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and the condition of people's teeth overall has got much better since this survey was first carried out in 1968.
"However it does show there is variation in dental health between England, Wales and Northern Ireland, as well as in the percentage of our populations who see a dentist regularly.
"The survey also suggests that more than one in 10 of us are extremely anxious about being in the dentist's chair."
Ian O’Sullivan, from ONS, said: “Just over half (51 per cent) of adults who had ever been to the dentist were classified as having low or no dental anxiety, but over a third (36 per cent) were classified as having moderate dental anxiety, and 12 per cent of adults were shown to have ‘extreme anxiety’.
“The survey shows that, although Wales still has more serious dental problems than England, the overall picture of the state of the three nations’ teeth has greatly improved since the first Adult Dental Health Survey was conducted in 1968.
"The majority of adults, 71 per cent, had no decay on the crowns of their teeth. And three-fifths, 61 per cent, of adults in England with at least one natural tooth attended the dentist for regular check-ups, compared to 44 per cent in 1978.”
Professor Damien Walmsley British Dental Association scientific sdviser, said: “This survey confirms that the condition of people's teeth overall has got much better since this survey was first carried out. Fluoride toothpaste, greater awareness of the importance of a healthy diet and regular visits to the dentist have all undoubtedly contributed to the better dental health we see in adults today.
“While the growing number of patients retaining more of their teeth into later life is, of course, excellent news, this improvement brings its own challenges. The way that teeth are cared for will need to evolve to ensure that these challenges are met.”
A Department of Health spokesman said: "Even though there have been improvements in adults' oral health, there is more that can and should be done to tackle persistent inequalities.
"As set out in the NHS White Paper, we are committed to introducing a new dental contract to improve the quality of care and address the issue of access. We have set up a national steering group to drive this work forward, with the aim of publishing pilot proposals before the end of the year."
Wales is not fluoridated and only 10% have lost all their teeth. In the US, which is 70% fluoridation, 18% have lost all their teeth:NYSCOF
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