UK - Child tooth decay rate in Halton falls to nearly half of 2006 levels

Latest figures have revealed that more than a quarter of children (26.2%) starting primary school in Halton already have tooth decay.
Public Health England (PHE) reported that this was more than the English average of 24.7%.
However, the statistics indicated that tooth decay has plumetted in Halton over the last decade with Halton Borough Council recording rates of 51% in 2006 – nearly double the most recent figure.
PHE’s oral survey examined the teeth of 212 of Halton’s 1,639 five-year-olds living in the borough in 2014, with 111,500 youngsters’ gnashers assessed across the country.

A Government spokesman said the numbers of children suffering rotten teeth England had fallen from 31% to 24.7% since 2008.Dr Sandra White, PHE director of dental health, said limiting sugary food and drink, supporting youngsters to brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and regular trips to the dentist would help to lower it further.

Levels of tooth decay were worse in Halton than in neighbouring boroughs Cheshire West And Chester (20.3%), Cheshire East (20.9%) and Warrington (24.5%).However, it fared better than all but one of the other Liverpool City Region council areas.

Wirral (32.9%) was the worst, followed by Knowsley (32.5%), Liverpool (31.8%) and St Helens (29.7%), but was not as good as Sefton (22.7%).

The highest rate in the North West and England was in Blackburn And Darwen with a shocking 55.7% of five-year-olds having tooth decay, followed by Oldham at 50.9%.

Greeting the latest figures, Dr White said: “This is great news.“However, one child with tooth decay is one too many and there is still much inequality in dental health around the country.
“Tooth decay is painful and too often results in teeth extraction, some under general anaesthetic.”