Tooth decay among five-year-olds sees significant decline

A new report from the government has demonstrated a decline in the number of five-year-olds with tooth decay.

Public Health England's latest oral health survey has shown that less than 25 percent of this group suffers from tooth decay. In 2008, 31 percent of five-year-olds were affected by this condition, while in 2012 it was 27 percent.

While there has been a significant decline in tooth decay at a national level, a significant amount of regional variation was seen. In the north-west, 33.4 percent of five-year-olds were affected, whereas only 20.1 percent do in the south-east. Areas with higher levels of deprivation tended to have higher levels of tooth decay.

Nevertheless, the average number of teeth affected by decay per child was 0.8, down from 1.1 in 2008, while there has been a nine percent increase in the proportion of children with no obvious decay.

Dr Sandra White, director of dental public health at Public Health England, said: "Limiting sugary food and drink, supporting children to brush their teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and regular trips to the dentist, will help prevent a great many more children suffering at the hands of tooth decay."