“Scotland has to step up and fight oral disease”

Launching their five point planthe British Dental Association Scotland (BDA Scotland) has called on all parties to raise awareness of oral cancer through better public dental education on the early signs and symptoms.

The European age standardised incidence rates for both men and women is significantly higher in Scotland at 16.8 per 100,000 per compared with 12.4 in England, and 11.9 in Northern Ireland.  The BDA has called for the extension of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccinations to boys and for the next government to address the significant shortage of oral maxillofacial surgeons and oral medicine specialists that has led to considerable delays in treatment.

The BDA has called on the next government to build on the success of the Childsmile initiative by extending its coverage to five to12 year olds. The scheme has already delivered huge improvements to the oral health of under fives, by offering free toothbrushes, toothpaste and two fluoride varnish applications per year. The number of children in primary one with no obvious decay experience has increased from 54 per cent in 2006, to 68 per cent in 2014 – while dental treatment costs in Scotland have fallen by £5m a year.