Evidence based prevention programmes needed

Spokesperson Claire Steven said: “I am one of the hospital based paediatric dentists extracting children’s teeth week in and week out and the pressure is relentless. As soon as I have finished in theatre, back at our clinic another eight patients will have been added to our waiting list.

“I can be taking out all the baby teeth of a child as young as two or three in one procedure; at another appointment I am providing dentures for teenagers. This is sad, especially when we know that dental decay is a disease which is almost entirely preventable.

“What’s required is the commissioning of evidence based prevention outlined by Public Health England and this is the responsibility of local councils. We need oral health promotion programmes which meet the needs of local communities, including supervised tooth brushing in nurseries and fluoride varnish application programmes. This is the approach taken in Scotland where the number of hospital based dental extractions has been dramatically reduced.