PHE survey finds 20% of 3 year olds in Greater Manchester have tooth decay

PHE survey finds 20% of 3 year olds in Greater Manchester have tooth decay

The first national survey of the oral health of three year old children in England has shown that 20% of three-year-olds in Greater Manchester suffered from visible tooth decay.

The children were examined in their nursery, children’s centre or playgroup and the survey, published today by Public Health England (PHE), found that those children affected had an average of three decayed teeth.

However, the large majority of children (80%) in this age group have no decay at all. This reflects trends of significant improvements in dental health since the introduction of fluoride toothpaste in 1976.

Colette Bridgman, Consultant in Dental Public Health at Greater Manchester PHE Centre said: “These figures reveal that children in Greater Manchester have significantly higher levels of tooth decay than in other parts of the country. Although there have been advances in the nation’s oral health, there is still a lot of room for improvement especially as tooth decay is a largely preventable disease.

“Parents and carers across Greater Manchester can help improve their child’s oral health by reducing the amount of sugary foods and drinks they give their children and supporting them to brush their teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, especially just before bedtime. It is also important to take your child to the dentist, which is free of charge for children, as the dentist will be able to advise you about how to keep your child’s teeth and gums healthy.”

To keep children’s teeth healthy, PHE is encouraging parents/carers of young children to: 

• Reduce both the amount and how often sugary foods and drinks are given to them. 
• Do not add sugar to weaning foods or drinks. 
• Aim to introduce drinking from a free-flow cup from six months of age and stop feeding from a bottle from 12 months of age.
• Start brushing children’s teeth as soon as the first tooth appears and supervise their tooth brushing until they are seven or eight years old. Brush children’s teeth twice daily, including just before bed, using a fluoride toothpaste. 
• From the age of three, use only a pea sized amount of fluoride toothpaste, for younger children a smear.
• Use only sugar-free medicines.