Give every child under 5 a toothbrush, demands BMA

THE Government should provide free toothbrushes to every child aged five and under in a bid to grapple a dental “crisis” among toddlers, doctors have said.

The British Medical Association also wants to see cigarette-style health warnings on packages of children’s food that contain high sugar content and are contributing to tooth decay.

Doctors at the union’s annual conference said they were seeing “more and more” young children turn up to hospital with rotting teeth.

Dr Iain Kennedy, chair of the BMA’S public health committee, said: “More than 30,000 children under the age of nine had to be taken into hospital in the past two years to have teeth extracted. Of those, 18,000 were under five years old.

“It is shocking that so many children this young need to have teeth removed, often under general anaesthetic, which carries significant risk.”

The union also demanded the introduction of compulsory dental hygiene lessons in primary schools via the National Curriculum.

The votes mean the motions become official BMA policy and the body will formally agree to lobby the Government for changes in practice.

“Doctors across the country are calling on the government to regulate food manufacturers to place health warnings on sugary foods, introducing free toothbrushes to all children aged five years and under, and by providing compulsory dental hygiene lessons,” said Dr Kennedy.