Cambridgeshire dentist claims child tooth decay at highest levels 'than ever before'
A report has found 1 in 4 children are skipping brushing their teeth
A Cambridgeshire dentist has said she is seeing more children with dental issues than ever.
It comes as a report from Ordo and the Dental Wellness Trust found nearly 1 in 4 children skip brushing their teeth altogether because they forget or get distracted, with 21% per cent of parents saying the dental education system is “inadequate”.
More than half of the 1,000 parents surveyed cited everyday issues such as rushed mornings as the main reason for children not toothbrushing.
"Children are coming in with a large number of cavities in their teeth; their oral hygiene is very poor, not brushing enough, poor diet, and it's a real problem," Dr Dipali Chokshi, of Littleport Dental Surgery, said.
Ten per cent of parents blamed strong-tasting toothpastes as to why their children were not brushing their teeth, while the same percentage cited boredom or impatience.
Some parents felt their children felt discomfort with sensitive teeth or gums, while a lack of motivation because there was no immediate benefit was also a reason.
1 in 3 children in deprived areas have had tooth decay
Government data shows one in five children aged five-years-old in England have experienced tooth decay, with up to one in three in more deprived areas.
"Access to dental care is also more difficult in rural areas, so on the whole, we're seeing a much higher proportion of child patients with tooth decay than ever before," Dr Chokshi said.
Around 20 to 30% of people on the waiting list for appointments at Littleport Dental Surgery are children, according to Dr Chokshi.
As a parent herself, she believes the issue is "completely preventable.
"I have three children between six and 10-years-old, neither one of them have ever had a filling.
"I'm mindful of how much sugar they eat and I'm very conscious of them brushing their teeth twice a day; there's no bigger formula to it."
'Not enough light at the end of the tunnel'
The Government is aiming to help "develop positive brushing habits" for children aged three to five-years-old when it rolls out its supervised toothbrushing programme for early years settings and primary schools.
Local authorities will have £11 million in Government funding to help carry out the programme with the aim of reaching up to 600,000 children a year.
Dr Chokshi believes there "isn't enough light at the end of the tunnel yet" in tackling children's oral health, but hopes more adults can learn about the importance of this.
"I think it would be hopeful the NHS allows for funding for local dentists to go into schools, educate children, parents, carers in the hope it will encourage to clean (children's teeth) better and more frequently," she added.
"I think there are big hurdles we have to overcome as a professional and wider NHS community to educate our people and prevent such problems from occurring."