One in three Plymouth five year olds have tooth decay, according to new report
ONE in three Plymouth five-year-olds have suffered from tooth decay, a shocking new report reveals.
City health experts said the scope of children's dental problems has improved but there is an urgent need for further action.
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Outlining a citywide plan to tackle the issue, they said poor diet and 'sugar shock' from sweets are the number one culprits.
Plymouth's NHS Oral Health Strategy outlines a range of schemes including treating children's teeth with fluoride varnish, promoting oral health and improving access to dentists.
The latest figures show that around 7,500 Plymouth people are on the waiting list to access an NHS dentist regularly — with patients who registered in September currently being allocated a place.
The dental strategy states 29.1 per cent of five-year-olds surveyed in 2009 had suffered from obvious tooth decay — with only 11 per cent of decayed teeth filled.
It is less than the national average of 31 per cent, and significantly better than Plymouth's 2000 figure of 41.7 per cent.
Dr Gill Jones, Plymouth consultant in dental public health, said: "Things have got better — the city is doing well in many areas — but there's an urgent need for further improvement.
"This strategy is the ideal way forward, with prevention the key.
"Sugar is absolutely the culprit. Sugar at mealtimes is fine, but it's snacking in between when the damage is done.
"We have to help parents understand that sugar shock to teeth needs to be reduced.
"A lot of parents don't know how to clean their children's teeth properly — to clean them well twice a day.
"And we've got to get children used to coming into the dentist, giving them fluoride and brushing advice. It's about raising awareness."
The plans specifically target the city's poorer areas — such as the city centre, Stonehouse, Devonport, Stoke and Morice Town.
Children's tooth decay is up to 50 per cent worse in the most deprived areas than the least.
Plans include painting three to five year olds' teeth with fluoride varnish, promoting the use of fluoride toothpaste and mouthwash among all ages, smoking prevention, wider health education programmes and increasing access to dentists.
Fluoride compounds are used to strengthen teeth.
The report states that 55 per cent of Plymouth's population have accessed a dentist in the past two years — compared to 54 per cent across the South West and 55 per cent nationally.
The target is to increase the Plymouth figure to 65 per cent by March 2011.
Dr Jones said: "We would always like to have more but the dentists we have are excellent and work very hard to provide every bit of care they can.
"What we have to do is continue our emergency urgent care so nobody is in pain and move patients through the system more quickly.
"The dental school is helping with that by providing thousands of appointments."
She said schemes run by the Peninsula Dental School's Devonport facility, of which she is director of community-based dentistry, are already reaching out to more residents.
To find a local NHS dental practice, there are 28 in Plymouth, go to www.nhs.uk or call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.
6 Comments
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by Dental Nurse, Plymouth
Friday, July 23 2010, 10:12PM
“Jim from Daytona - where on this article is anyone promoting fluoridation thoughout the UK???
If you read it again it is about educating parents (and their children) to limit sugar intake throughout the day - which is a proven cause of tooth decay!!
It also provides people with a link so they can access an nhs dentist. This opportunity could give them access to much needed oral healthcare!!”
by mark, torbay
Friday, July 23 2010, 8:10PM
“i suppose angela of plymouth thinks people fighting illegal pointless wars in afghanistan is doing something usefull. I don't see why people think we must grovel to people in the military or think they are special. I may of respected the people of ww2 when they had no choice but to fight but today its different. i don't see why when somebody dies in afghanistan they are a hero but if a guy dies on the street fighting off thugs or kills in self defence nobody even bats an eyelid. It is so easy to see through stupidity. I only respect the military men & woemn of ww1 & ww2 but i have no reason to care about these people of todays armed forces. i' not saying im glad to here about their losses as im not but that doesn't mean i have to worry about them and grovel as if i was to break my leg on a snowboard nobody would come grovelling to me. men & woemn of ww2 were heroes but not those in afghanistan today. i don't see why people like angela is quite ready to judge people who are no different to her/his self. if you judge a human being over anything money related then you are not very smart”
by mark, torbay
Friday, July 23 2010, 8:02PM
“most people on the ground use to much chemicals in daily events of all kind. remember less is more. when you brush you're teeth you do not need a full brush of tooth paste just a small amount the size of a pea. you don't want all that foam in you're mouth unnecessaraly as it is absorebed into the pores of ur mouth. I learned from watching a nasa astronaut on youtube how people on the gorund use far too much chemicals like shampoo and toothpase and cleaning chemicals in general. the same goes for shampoo always use a very tiny amount as it is sodium larual sulphate which is used to degrease engines. notice how the second wash foams much more easily. tooth paste actually harms you're teeth anyway. the ingredients in tooth paste are extremly bad if swallowed so what if the pores in ur mouth absorb them it can't be good. use very sparingly.”
by Angela, Plymouth
Friday, July 23 2010, 7:14PM
“All the time adults cannot afford to visit the dentist you won't get the children used to going. Thank God my children are now young adults.I haven't been to the dentist for 3 yrs,
Oh and the DWP should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves regarding the soldier who has had his benefits cut SHAME ON YOU!!!!! I think he was quite right to say he wondered why he went to war to protect his country as his country certainly doesn't want to know or care for him...............so ALL YOU lazy gits and scrongers with so called bad backs get off ypour fat backsides and do something useful”
by john, plymouth
Friday, July 23 2010, 7:07PM
“One third of children have tooth decay and bet they are from families that are from socially deprived areas. This City never fails to shock me i.e. soldier has benefits cut because he can walk 400m with one leg. What about all those parents out there that have not worked and sponged off the state claiming they have a bad back or scared of open spaces? I would put money on their kids having bad teeth and a poor diet.”