Two in 5 kids shun dentist

TWO in five children in England have not visited their dentist in the past year, shocking figures reveal.

Under-18s are urged to have a check-up at least once a year to prevent tooth decay, but NHS Digital figures show just 58 per cent made the trip last year.

and only half of adults saw a dentist in the past two years.

Professor Michael Escudier, dean of the royal College of Surgeons’ Faculty of Dental Surgery, said: ‘It is unacceptable that more than two in five children did not see an NHS dentist in the last year.

‘The figures serve as a reminder that there is still a long way to go in improving children’s oral health in the England.’

More than 60,000 children in England had teeth extracted in hospital last year because of tooth decay.