Jeremy Corbyn has pledged that dental check-ups will be free in England, if Labour is elected. Band 1 courses of treatment, currently costing £22.70 will be charge-free. The policy would be the "first step towards making all dentistry services free of charge", Corbyn declared. They claimed that the move would encourage more people to go to the dentist.
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Ministers have notified Parliament about transitional healthcare arrangements across the EU if the Government is unable to secure a deal. They say they are working hard to secure a deal that covers healthcare arrangements, but ‘it is important that people understand what will happen if the UK leaves without a deal and what support the Government has put in place for that scenario’.
Read more: Government reports on healthcare arrangements in event of No Deal Brexit
Research from Oral-B has revealed that British kids brush their teeth just nine times a week. But 46% of children have already had a filling or cavity as a result of tooth decay. Oral-B has launched #strongteethstrongkids campaign to support parents and encourage them to take part in their #bedtimebrushchallenge to improve their children’s oral health.
Read more: Two thirds of British children regularly refuse to brush their teeth
The Faculty of General Dental Practice has told a committee of MPs that NHS dentistry is “highly neglected and under significant strain”, and “increasingly unviable and professionally unattractive” for dental practices and dentists. This was in evidence to the Health Select Committee’s inquiry into dentistry services.
Read more: FGDP(UK) to MPs: NHS dentistry is neglected, unviable and unattractive
Eighty-four per cent of NHS dentists, compared to 51% of private dentists, believe their current role has negatively affected their mental health, according to the latest Dentistry Confidence Monitor survey, released by Practice Plan. Even more worrying is that 72% of dentists said that they were not confident about which organisation to turn to for support if they were feeling overly stressed or worried about their mental health.
Read more: Mistrust and mental health issues revealed in survey of dentists
Researchers at the University of Plymouth are exploring possible links between the bacteria that cause gum disease and the progression of oral cancer. They are aiming to build on evidence that shows how bacteria which cause periodontitis, are linked to blood vessel formation and will grow mini tumours and blood vessels in the laboratory, adding bacteria to identify what effect they have on the blood vessels, and how they operate.
Read more: Research of link between mouth bacteria and oral cancer