Sara Hurley and Simon Kenny have recently issued an update to the profession with the latest advice and guidance on children’s oral health and paediatric dentistry.
In the update, it is highlighted that “children living in the most deprived areas of the country were almost three times as likely to have experience of dental decay as those living in the least deprived areas.”
They continue to explain, “Poor oral health doesn't just impact on a child's mouth - it damages their confidence, their ability to socialise and their education. Parents and guardians have to miss work because their child is in pain, or they have to go to the dentist or hospital to have an extraction.
“Approximately only one in 10 children under two has a NHS dental check-up, but a first dental visit by a baby’s first birthday will help prevent the tooth decay experienced by a quarter of England’s five year olds. So, NHS dental teams can continue to tackle poor child oral health through promoting dental check-ups by one, educating children and families on tooth brushing and a healthy diet and promoting high impact clinical interventions.”
The update also provides resources such as an implementation tool of the NICE guidelines on recalling children for a dental appointment, useful patient and family information on oral health and the British Society of Paediatric Dentistry’s (BSPD) good practice guides.
To sign up to receive the updates, and access the above resources, fill out the online form here.