A national programme of supervised teeth-brushing in schools is part of a proposed national plan to tackle the tooth decay crisis affecting millions of children across the UK.
The recommendations come from the latest Child of the North report, produced by researchers at the University of Leeds, which is part of a series of reports looking at how the health of young people can be central to Government policies.
The researchers say the report lays out ‘strong evidence’ for what works, including banning the sale of energy drinks to children under 16, expanding fluoridation and sugar taxes, and increasing access to dental care.
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Experts describe the oral health crisis among UK children as ‘alarming’, particularly in the North of England. Overall, fewer than four out of ten children in England have good oral health. By the age of five, three in ten children have tooth decay. In deprived areas in the North of England, Scotland and Wales, four in ten children in Years Seven and Eight (age 11-13) report that tooth decay impacts their lives daily. Children from families living in deprived areas are more than twice as likely to have tooth decay, with higher levels of tooth decay in children in the North compared with elsewhere in England.
Anne Longfield, executive chair of the Centre for Young Lives, said: ‘It is staggering that so many children, particularly in the North of England and those living in low-income families, are now growing up with tooth decay and suffering from toothache and discomfort.
‘This can affect their quality of life, sleep patterns, eating habits, and impact on school readiness and attendance, speech and language development, and overall confidence. In some areas, it has sadly become the norm.’
The Government-implemented national strategy would be overseen by a national board that includes representatives from government departments, local government, dental organisations and specialist societies, universities, citizen representatives, and charities.
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Recommendations include reducing sugar consumption by expanding the Soft Drinks Industry Levy, applying restrictions on food marketing and promotions and banning the sale of caffeinated energy drinks to under 16-year-olds. In addition, the report suggests community-wide methods such as optimising exposure to fluoride through community water fluoridation and targeted programmes such as supervised toothbrushing.
The proposals would maximise the impact on early years and education-based interventions and be co-designed by health visitors, nurseries, and schools.
Ms Longfield added: ‘The Government’s proposals for a national programme of supervised teeth-brushing in schools is a positive step forward, as is its overall focus on boosting children’s wellbeing.
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‘We urge Ministers to ignore accusations of a ‘nanny state’. We need to take radical evidence-based action and to develop a national plan to tackle a rotten teeth crisis affecting millions of our children.’
