Every ten minutes a child in England has a rotten tooth removed in hospital

A child in England has a tooth removed in hospital every ten minutes due to preventable tooth decay, according to data published by PHE today.

With the government’s Soft Drinks Industry Levy coming into effect today, PHE’s Change4Life campaign is reminding parents that sugary drinks – including juice drinks, energy drinks, cola and other fizzy drinks – are one of the main sources of sugar in children’s diets.

Consuming too much sugar is one of the leading causes of tooth decay and childhood obesity. Tooth decay can be prevented by cutting down on sugar as well as brushing twice a day with fluoride toothpaste.

Tooth extraction remains the most common reason for hospital admissions in five to nine year olds. Figures show around 141 children a day – some just a year old – are having teeth removed. This means around 60,000 days are missed from school during the year, as well as causing problems with eating, sleeping and even smiling.