Good oral health is now part of the new national Early Years Foundation Stage Framework. This is because tooth decay is largely preventable yet it remains a serious problem. In 2015, a quarter of five-year-olds had experienced tooth decay, having on average 3 or 4 teeth affected. The areas with poorer dental health tend to be in the north and in the more deprived local authority areas. In 2015 to 2016 the cost of tooth extractions was approximately £50.5 million among children aged 0 to 19 years. There were 7,926 episodes of children aged under 5 years having 1 or more teeth extracted in hospital because of tooth decay
Poor dental health impacts not just on the child’s health but also their wellbeing and that of
their family. Children who have toothache or who need treatment may have pain, infections and
difficulties with eating, sleeping and socialising. A quarter of 5-year-olds have tooth decay when they start school. Children who have toothache or who need treatment may have to be absent from
school and parents may also have to take time off work to take their children to a dentist or to hospital.
Oral health is therefore an important aspect of a child’s overall health status and to children’s school readiness.
The risk of tooth decay increases as a child’s diet starts to include foods and drinks other than breast milk or formula, depending on the free sugar content.

See our leaflets on Oral Health and Toothbrushing support and Sugar Swaps below for useful tips.

If your child continues to use a dummy or bottle with a teat for too long this can adversely affect their oral health and delay their speech. For useful information and tips to help support you in weaning your child off their dummy and/or bottle please see our bottles and dummies leaflet.

See our handouts from the SOAP organisation for how you can help to support your child’s good oral health at home.

For easy food swaps at home to reduce sugar, salt and fat in your child's diet visit Better Health, Healthier Families on the link below and see our Let's Get Sugar Smart display in our entrance.

https://www.nhs.uk/healthier-families/food-facts/healthier-food-swaps/