Shocking statistics, released by the NHS and Chemist 4 U, show the worrying rise of tooth decay affecting adults and children across the North West, especially in Salford.
Tooth decay is a largely preventable problem, yet statistics are showing a significant increase in adults and children that suffer with it. In 2015, a survey showed that a quarter of 5-year-olds experienced tooth decay. Now statistics are showing an increase that is worrying parents and dentists that there is not enough awareness on the impact of high sugar diets.
In Salford, these statistics are showing a significant number of children who suffer from tooth decay with those ages 5 and under at 45 per cent. Children at this age are the most prone as well as during adolescence from the movement of teeth, making oral health a much bigger topic that needs to be discussed.
Dental health professional Ronald Baise, of 92 Dental, weighed in on why adults and children are likely to miss their appointment, saying: “Appointments are usually missed because the symptoms dental problems are usually experienced transiently. If you have tooth pain it is very rare that the pain will be felt constantly, rather it will come and go over a period of months.”
The statistics show that in the North West, only 43% of adults have visited a dentist in the North West in the last 24 months. That leaves a huge 57% gap of people who have not made a dentist appointment in the last two years.
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This means that more people could be suffering from tooth decay than previously thought. Dentists always recommend that you get a check-up every 6 months to prevent and lower the risks of tooth decay.
A Salford oral health professional spoke up on the issue in regards to why many are put off from booking a dental appointment. Jeremy said “often it’s the parent’s fears that they put on to their own children, so the children are frightened to come into the dentist. The times have changed and it doesn’t have to be a painful experience.”
Watch the interview here:
Jeremy also stressed that education is also to blame for why many fail to turn up or book an appointment, saying: “I see many children suffering from tooth decay, many from poorer populations of Salford that need teeth removing.
“All I can do is deal with the problem and educate the parents. It’s soul destroying for the staff and I to see this.”
Dental health professional Jeremy Cooper, of Salford’s Chiropody Dental Surgery, also discussed what is contributing to the tooth decay in adults and children emphasising the risks of sugary diets.
Listen here:
“Often where you find social deprivation, you find increased decay rates, probably more than anything it is down to poor diets and lots of sugar. The amount of sugar per day is instrumental in people having cavities which can lead to decay. My advice would be to drink water only or drink sugar-free drinks. Use fluoride toothpaste and don’t rinse after brushing.”
Watch the second part of the interview here:
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