Blog 2: Dental Caries in UK Children

   

Tooth brushing is not only meant to prevent cavities and rinsing with mouthwash is more than a proposition to enhance gum health. Oral diseases are a significant burden across the globe and weigh heavily on an individuals health and finances. Dental caries (tooth decay), periodontal disease, tooth loss, and cancers of the lips and oral cavity collectively comprise the vast majority of oral disease cases. In particular, those who experience the heaviest impact of oral disease in the United Kingdom (UK) are children living in low-income households. It is shown through the parameter of children eligible for free school meals that merely 66% of 12-year old's and 74% of 15-year old's seek the dentist for regular check-ups (Health & Social Care Information Centre). Maintaining good dental hygiene is beneficial in numerous ways than just a cavity-free visit at the dentist's office. The repercussions of cultivating an oral disease and abstaining from dental care includes ongoing pain, sepsis, reduction in quality of life, and much more.

The United Kingdom hopes to improve oral health and hygiene amongst children in order to prevent onset tooth decay. Multiple teeth could be saved by addressing concerns of tooth decay before diagnosis since more than one tooth, on average, is affected. Data from the United Kingdom in 2019 suggests that "Tooth extraction is still the most common hospital procedure in 6 to 10-year old's..."(Public Health England). Freedom from oral disease is never guaranteed but is easily preventable through measures completed on a daily basis. Public Health England suggests minimizing the consumption of sugary foods and drinks, to brush teeth twice daily, and visiting the dentist regularly once a child's first tooth emerges. 

The UK aims to highlight dental care amongst all children's services. Healthcare professionals are expected to be informed on all preventions of tooth decay and gum disease, as well as obtain the knowledge about which resources and services can be provided. The country reiterates on increasing accessibility to community health improvement programs which can act as a determinant resolution. The Department of Health and Social Care has a 2019-2020 proposed budget of 140.4 billion pounds, in which the dental budget calls for 3.4 billion pounds per year. Oral disease is a tiny sector of this dental budget, receiving a mere 5%. The National Health Service (NHS) of the United Kingdom conducts a children's dental health survey every 10 years in order to record the status of these health findings. 

 

Works Cited 

Health & Social Care Information Centre. 2015, March 19. Children's Dental Health Survey 2013. England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, UK. https://files.digital.nhs.uk/publicationimport/pub17xxx/pub17137/cdhs2013-report5-contemporary-challenges.pdf

Newcastle University. 2019, April 2. NHS dental budget needs reform to meet patients' needs. Tyne, England. https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2019-04/nu-ndb040219.php

NHS England. 2014, February. Improving Dental Care and Oral Health- A Call to Action. London, England. https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/imp-dent-care.pdf

Peres MA;Macpherson LMD;Weyant RJ;Daly B;Venturelli R;Mathur MR;Listl S;Celeste RK;Guarnizo-Herreño CC;Kearns C;Benzian H;Allison P;Watt RG;. (2019, July 20). Oral diseases: A global public health challenge. Retrieved October 05, 2020, from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31327369/

Public Health England. (2019, August 29). Child Oral Health: Applying 'All Our Health'. Retrieved October 05, 2020, from https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/child-oral-health-applying-all-our-health/child-oral-health-applying-all-our-health

The King's Fund. (2020, March 13). The NHS budget and how it has changed. Retrieved October 05, 2020, from https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/projects/nhs-in-a-nutshell/nhs-budget