Tooth decay has become the number one reason why children are admitted hospital in the UK and any solution will require parents, business and the authorities to play their part.
The British Dental Association (BDA) has commended the councils for their leadership on sugar as the Local Government Association (LGA) issued calls for transparent and child friendly labelling on fizzy drinks.
Russ Ladwa, Chair of the BDA’s Health and Science Committee said: “Local councils are now offering the kind of leadership on the sugar crisis we expect to see from national government.”
The BDA has called on the government to put prevention at the heart of its approach to the crisis on child tooth decay, as new figures showed over 14,000 children aged 5 and under had been admitted to hospital for tooth extraction in 2014/15. Analysis of data from the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) has also revealed a 10% increase in children requiring tooth extraction in the last 4 years.
News comes as the government has supposedly abandoned plans for a sugar tax as part of its long delayed obesity strategy. The BDA has led calls for action to improve children’s oral health and championed action on sugar.
Mick Armstrong, Chair of the BDA said: “these new figures should offer a wake up call to government on its failure to get to grips with prevention. Under fives are ending up in hospital for tooth extractions because successive governments have treated oral health as an afterthought. An entirely preventable disease has been left to emerge as the leading cause of hospital admissions among children. That means paying a premium for general anaesthesia, when we should be saving pain and money by aiming to keep healthy teeth in healthy mouths in the first place.
At Fellows Dental Practice we really believe in preventative dental care and encourage our patients to bring their children to the practice from an early age. Regular check-ups from a young age will ensure children won’t suffer from untreated dental decay with devastating effects to their growing dentition. We will be able to give you advise on diet and snacking to try and reduce the risks of dental decay. There are a number of preventative treatments that our team can provide for children.
- Fluoride applications are a safe and effective way to safeguard your growing child’s teeth from developing decay. The fluoride is painted onto the surface of the child’s teeth and this helps to mineralise the teeth and make them stronger.
- Fissure sealants are tooth coloured and where clinically needed, these are applied to the biting surfaces of children’s teeth to prevent decay.
Studies have shown that the younger the age that you bring your child to the dental practice, even if just for a check-up, the more likely they are to have a positive experience and grow up not to be afraid of a visit to a dental practice. Our team will take special care of your child to make them feel safe and cared for.
Treating a child from an early age also allows the dentist to spot early signs of underbites, cross bites or overbites developing. As with most things, the sooner you can start to treat it, the quicker it can be resolved.
Look! We have a TV on our ceiling!
To help make your child’s visit to the dentist as fun as possible we have created a relaxing waiting area with toys and books for younger patients to enjoy.
In the surgery, we have a television screen on the ceiling which plays fun DVDs to watch during your appointment. We find this is great for adults as well. Feel free to bring your favourite DVD or you can choose from our selection.
Prevention is always better than cure so call the practice today to make an appointment for your child.