BDA: Link between income and oral health must be broken

The British Dental Association (BDA) has urged the government to do more to ensure that poorer people have better access to high-quality dental care.

A recent study from the Newcastle University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne NHS Foundation Trust, UCL and the National Centre for Social Research has shown that oral health is markedly worse among the poorest 20 per cent of British society compared with the richest.

After studying more than 6,000 adults in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, it was shown that 65-years olds in the poorest fifth of the UK population had, on average, eight fewer teeth than the richest fifth.

The BDA said widespread action is needed to tackle this systemic problem, including greater investment in dentistry, as well as renewed focus on education, fluoridation and sugar controls.

Dr John Milne, chair of the BDA's general dental practice committee, said: "Until the government steps up, we will continue condemning large swathes of the population to pain, discomfort and expensive and avoidable procedures."

Earlier this month, the organisation announced its support for blanket immunisation against human papillomavirus, due to the oral cancer risk associated with the virus.