Sheffield ‘worst for child tooth decay’ in UK, figures show

South Yorkshire towns and cities had the three worst figures, with 833 children admitted for tooth removal in Doncaster and 798 in Rotherham, according to the Health and Social Care Information Centre.

Sheffield’s director of public health Greg Fell said the figures were a ‘stark reminder’ of the high levels of tooth decay in children, something which was ‘preventable through good oral health and something we take very seriously’.

He said: “We’re working to improve this in Sheffield by providing information and help for parents. This is given in different ways including by health visitors working with families, who give an oral health pack with a toothbrush, fluoride toothpaste and information.

“Schools also give information and we have provided all primary schools with a copy of our Top Teeth DVD, which we created to help with this. Supervised tooth brushing clubs now run in nurseries where there are higher levels of tooth decay.

“The most important thing I’d urge parents to do is brush their children’s twice a day, limit sugary drinks and sugary food and take their children to the dentist regularly from an early age.

“These things really make a difference. More information is available through the new sugar smart campaign which gives easy tips on how to cut down on sugar.”...........