MP acts on ‘rising tide’ of dental extractions
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- Published: Tuesday, 19 July 2016 07:28
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Birkenhead MP Frank Field has called for urgent Government action to tackle what he calls the rising tide of children going to hospital for tooth extractions and 'shocking inequalities' in oral health. He said: “He said: "None of us should be content knowing that children are four times more likely to suffer from tooth decay just because they happened to be born in Birkenhead and not in the Health Secretary's constituency (West Surrey)”.
It follows a survey by YouGov, which showed five-year-olds in Birkenhead are four times more likely to suffer from tooth decay than their peers in Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt's constituency. According to the figures, more than 200 children were admitted to hospital for tooth extractions in Wirral last year. The survey, carried out on behalf of the British Dental Association, also revealed that a quarter of children in the borough have not seen a dentist for more than two years, while they should have a check-up every six months.
Mr Field is supporting the British Dental Association's campaign for a strategy to improve oral health, make the new dental contract truly preventive, and secure investment in NHS dentistry to improve access. He has tabled a parliamentary question to Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt, asking how he intends to improve oral health among poorer children in particular.
He said: "None of us should be content knowing that children are four times more likely to suffer from tooth decay just because they happened to be born in Birkenhead and not in the Health Secretary's constituency. We need to stop the rot. The challenge of keeping healthy teeth in healthy mouths is important for two reasons: both to give children the best start in life, but also to relieve at least some of the pressure on our hospitals."
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