Thousands of British children receiving treatment for tooth-loss

The British Association of Clinical Dental Technology (BACDT) comments on a report which suggests thousands of children in Britain are visiting dental practices and hospitals for tooth extraction.

WEBWIRE – Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Dental experts and senior practitioners are calling on the Government to tackle the rising level of tooth-loss among the very young.

Every year thousands of children in Britain are visiting dental practices and hospitals for tooth extraction according to a leading dental expert.

Dean of the faculty of dentistry at the Royal College of Surgeons, Kathryn Harley, said she sees children at the Edinburgh hospital where she practices who need 16 or more teeth removed due to decay.

Latest NHS data shows that dental problems are now the forth most common reason young people under the age of seventeen are admitted to hospital. According to other recent statistics, around 33 per cent of 12 year olds have some kind of cavity.

Research published by the Office For National Statistics shows that 14 per cent of eight-year-olds have signs of decay in permanent teeth, with one in 100 losing a tooth to decay.

Meanwhile, a study by the consumer group Which? concluded in 2009 that British children could be consuming as much as 12 teaspoons of sugar through items packed in their lunch boxes.

Experts in the dental field are now calling calling for the Government to launch a campaign to raise awareness about the dangers to children’s oral health on the same scale as anti-smoking campaigns.

The British Association of Clinical Dental Technicians (BACDT) have spoken about their concern for the current stat of oral health in young patients. Speaking on behalf of the organisation, CEO, Richard Daniels stated:

“The biggest concern is the number of children who have to have so many teeth taken out when tooth decay can be prevented. Clinical dental technicians are now seeing similar patterns of disease that we were seeing 20 years ago.

“One of the major issues is the popularity of fizzy drinks and sugary, acidic fruit juices. The Government needs to promote the importance of maintaing good oral health, especially in children"

"Events including World Oral Health Day on the 20th of March, organised by the FDI World Dental Federation, helps raise the awareness of healthy teeth for a healthy life and hopefully offers an opportunity to encourage individuals, families and governments to take urgent action.”

The BACDT is a leading professional association which promotes the advancement of certified clinics within clinical dental technology who specialise in denture fittings, implants and cosmetic dentistry. For more information visit http:dentureprofessionals.org.uk or search through their approved dental surgeries at http://dentureprofessionals.org.uk/cdt-labs/.