More needs to be done to ‘improve children’s oral health’

The president of the British Society of Dental Hygiene and Therapy believes that now is the time to focus on improving the oral health of children.

Michaela O'Neill will be visiting St Joseph's Primary School in County Antrim on February 3rd and to show pupils how they can take steps to eliminate tooth decay and give them the knowledge they need to maintain good oral health throughout adulthood.

Speaking ahead of the visit, Ms O'Neill explained that children in Northern Ireland have the poorest oral health compared to other parts of the UK, according to the Survey of Children's Health in the UK.

She added that the country has the highest proportion of five and eight-year olds with obvious decay into the dentine and fillings compared to England and Wales, which means that something needs to be done.

Her organisation is working hard to tackle this ultimately preventable problem, Ms O'Neill said.

"The basic messages of good oral hygiene are simple, but so many children, especially those in more deprived areas of the UK, don't even get these. It is a challenge, but one I and we as a society are looking forward to," she added.