Leading health officials in England have revealed that the state of oral health among children and teenagers is at ‘crisis’ point.
The statement comes after the Local Government Association (LGA) released data showing that more than 100 operations are being carried out EVERY DAY in the country, to remove children’s rotting teeth.
With 40,790 procedures carried out among children and young people under the age of 18 over 2014/2015, the surge in operations is calculated to be costing the NHS upwards of £35 million.
Izzi Seccombe, of the LGA, said the ‘crisis’ in children’s oral health is rooted in the over-consumption of foods and drinks containing too much sugar.
“Our children’s teeth are rotting because they are consuming too much food and drink high in sugar far too often,” said Ms Seccombe.
She explained: “Nearly half of 11- to 15-year-olds have a sugary drink at least once a day. As these figures show, we don’t just have a child obesity crisis, but a children’s oral health crisis, too.”
The more obvious concerns aside, Ms Seccombe warned that poor oral health can have a far-reaching impact on all aspects of a child’s life, including their ability to sleep, speak and socialise.
In response to the release of these alarming new statistics, leading health experts have called for the Government to take serious action with a strong strategy.
