New figures from the Office for Health Improvement & Disparities reveal that Leicester has one of the highest rates of tooth decay among five-year-olds in the country. Over 40% of children in this age group in the city are suffering from decaying teeth, with a reported 42.4% affected. This places Leicester in the 18th position out of 229 authorities in England. The city’s tooth decay rate has been rising, with the figure at 37.8% in 2021/22.
Nationally, the worst-affected area was Manchester, where 60.8% of five-year-olds had tooth decay. Other areas like South Hams (49.6%) and Pendle (49.0%) also reported concerning figures. The lowest rate was in Rochford, with just 4.9% of children affected.
In Leicester, areas such as Oadby and Wigston saw 29.8% of five-year-olds with tooth decay, while Melton, Hinckley and Bosworth, North West Leicestershire, and Blaby all reported lower rates. These concerning statistics have raised alarms, particularly after a December report revealed that nearly 60% of NHS dentists in Leicestershire were unable to accept children aged 17 or younger.
The NHS Leicester, Leicestershire, and Rutland Integrated Care Board (ICB) has been working on national reforms to improve access to dental care, particularly in underserved areas. This includes targeted funding and a national plan for reforming NHS dental contracts to improve patient access. A spokesperson mentioned that the reforms, which were initially announced in 2022, include public health initiatives designed to improve children’s oral health.
Leicester’s high tooth decay rates mirror a broader national issue of preventable dental diseases. Councillor David Fothergill, chairman of the Local Government Association’s community wellbeing board, highlighted the persistent inequality in oral health, with children in more deprived areas being at a significantly higher risk. He called for urgent action to tackle the issue, particularly by investing in council-run oral health improvement programs, which have proven successful in promoting healthy oral habits and preventing serious dental problems.
Tooth decay remains one of the leading causes of hospital admissions for children, with over 31,000 operations performed in 2023 alone to remove rotten teeth.
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