WIREDGOV

The Government should use the upcoming Spring Budget to recommit to vital measures to combat diet related ill health and childhood obesity.

Responding to data on hospital tooth extractions of children, which shows a 83 per cent increase in procedures this year, Cllr David Fothergill, Chairman of the Local Government Association’s Community Wellbeing Board said:

“It is alarming that children who live in areas with the highest levels of deprivation and limited access to dentists are five times more likely to have teeth extracted in hospital due to decay than those in the least deprived areas.

“Untreated dental conditions remain one of the most prevalent diseases affecting children and young people’s ability to speak, eat, play and socialise. Oral health inequality is expected to grow owing to the scale of backlogs in primary care, which limit the chance to catch problems early.

“The Government should use the upcoming Spring Budget to recommit to vital measures to combat diet related ill health and childhood obesity, such as the sugar levy which has helped cut down the consumption of drinks with high sugar content.”

Hospital-based tooth extractions in 0 to 19 year olds - GOV.UK