A recent study has revealed that nearly half of Bolton’s five-year-olds suffer from tooth decay, placing the area among the bottom 20 regions in the UK for children’s oral health. The findings have sparked concern from local health professionals and lawmakers.
The National Dental Epidemiology Programme examined the dental health of 341 children from Bolton out of 3,949 five-year-olds in the area during the past school year. The results were alarming, with 43.7% of children displaying enamel decay or more severe damage to the dentin layer beneath it. Nearly one-third (33.1%) of the children showed untreated dentin decay, raising alarms about the extent of the issue.
The survey, which included data from over 81,000 children nationwide, found that the North West of England, including Bolton, had the highest levels of dental decay, with 36.8% of children affected. Bolton ranked 15th worst in the country, with Manchester at the top, where over 60% of children exhibited decay.
Dr. Zuber Bagasi, the founder of Synergy Dental Group in Bolton, attributed the alarming dental rates to limited access to dental care. “Many children in Bolton suffer from tooth decay because they lack proper access to dental services,” Dr. Bagasi said. “Efforts are being made to improve access to NHS dentistry for children, and we are seeing positive changes with new schemes aimed at incentivizing more clinicians to take on young patients.”
Though the tooth decay figures remain concerning, they represent a slight improvement from previous years. The rate of decay in Bolton dropped by more than 9% from last year, reflecting the effectiveness of new initiatives to address the issue. Nationwide, the rate of tooth decay in children decreased by 7%.
However, disparities persist, with children from the most deprived areas still more than twice as likely to suffer from severe tooth decay. The survey also highlighted differences by ethnicity, with Asian children showing the highest rates of decay at 37%, and those in the “Other” ethnic group experiencing the most severe cases at 45.4%.
Yasmin Qureshi MP, who represents Bolton South and Walkden, voiced deep concern over the figures, noting that tooth decay is the leading cause of hospital admissions for children aged five to nine. “No parent should have to watch their child suffer from preventable pain,” she said. “This is the result of years of underinvestment in NHS dental services, and it’s time to take urgent action to address this crisis.”
Qureshi highlighted the importance of targeted initiatives such as supervised tooth brushing for children in the most deprived communities, helping to establish healthy habits early on. She also called for further investment in NHS dental services to tackle child poverty and prevent avoidable dental disease.
In response to the findings, a spokesperson for NHS Greater Manchester and Bolton NHS Foundation Trust emphasized their ongoing efforts to improve children’s oral health in the region. “We are encouraged that the proportion of five-year-olds with tooth decay in Bolton has decreased, but we recognize there is more work to do,” the spokesperson said. “Our focus is on building on the progress we’ve made, through initiatives like the Greater Manchester Oral Health Improvement Programme and supervised tooth brushing in schools and nurseries.”
Despite some improvements, the figures remain a stark reminder of the need for continued efforts to combat tooth decay in young children, particularly in areas of high deprivation.
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