North London borough where 25% of kids leave school with decaying teeth
| Published date | 24 April 2024 |
| Publication title | MyLondon (England) |
In Harrow, the survey found that around 24.2 per cent of 10 to 11 year olds had experienced issues with rotten, filled, or missing teeth, compared with 13.5 per cent in London, reported having tooth decay.
Figures also reveal an estimated 320 total hospital admissions in Harrow for children's tooth extraction in the year to March 2023 -230 of which were for tooth decay. Overall, the rate of tooth extractions in Harrow was 499 per 100,000 children – above the national rate of 360 per 100,000.
Officer for health improvement at the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health RCPCH, Dr Helen Stewart, called the state of children’s oral health in England ‘nothing short of egregious’. She said the link between deprivation and decay is "undeniable", as children living in lower-income areas were more than twice as likely to have tooth decay than their more affluent peers.
A London Borough of Harrow spokesperson said: “We are actively promoting good oral health in children from the earliest opportunity. This starts with free toothbrushing kits at a child’s health visitor check. We also offer supervised toothbrushing sessions in schools and early years settings. Information sessions also take place across schools, nurseries and the voluntary and community sector.”
They added: “The health and wellbeing of our children will always be a priority. We know there is always more we can do so we are also collaborating with Queen Mary University of London on research into why tooth decay is so prevalent so we can work on other ways to help.”
The survey showed that 16.2 per cent of children across England had experienced tooth decay, with those impacted having it in at least two teeth on average. Across NHS hospitals in England, there were 47,581 tooth extractions for patients under 19 years old. Some 66 per cent of these extractions – or 31,165 – were down to a primary diagnosis of tooth decay, up 17 per cent from the previous 12 months.
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