Children’s oral health is improving, says survey

New statistics reveal that children's oral health is improving in the UK – news that the British Dental Health Foundation has welcomed.

The Child Dental Health Survey 2013, which looked at youths in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, reveals there has been a significant drop in the level of tooth decay in 12 and 15-year-olds compared to 2003.

One in three 12-year-olds and less than half (46 per cent) of 15-year-olds now show signs of obvious dental decay, versus 43 percent and 56 percent respectively ten years earlier.

In addition, the severity of tooth decay also dropped, with the number of children with serious tooth decay falling from one in three to one in five for 15-year-olds and from three in ten to one in five of 12-year-olds.

Oral health problems were most severe in Wales and Northern Ireland, with 41 and 40 percent respectively suffering with such issues compared to 31 percent in England.

Dr Nigel Carter OBE, chief executive of the British Dental Health Foundation, welcomed the news, but cautioned that more needs to be done to improve the oral health of children.

He said: "It's always pleasing to see any level of improvements in oral health, particularly for children. Having said that, it is very much a mixed bag of results."