BDA: Postcode lottery of decay demands real investment in prevention

The call follows analysis of new data from Public Health England (PHE) on hospital-based tooth extractions for children covering every local authority in England in 2017/18.

Across England, over 59,000 patients aged 0-19 underwent dental extractions under a general anaesthetic, representing 7 per cent of all hospital procedures performed on children. Two thirds of these procedures were primarily due to tooth decay. 84 per cent of extractions with decay as the primary diagnosis were conducted on patients aged 10 and under.

The worst affected areas include Rotherham, Sheffield, Preston and Blackpool. Doncaster has England’s highest rates of extractions (nearly 600 in total), more than five times the national average for six to 10-year-olds undergoing the procedure – on average one in every classroom. 

The BDA has pointed to PHE’s own modelling which shows that interventions in deprived areas could yield significant returns on investment. The figures show £1 spent on supervised tooth brushing programmes in nurseries and primary schools would yield a £3.06 return in five years, rising to £3.66 in 10, as a result of reduced treatment costs.